Drexel University Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Men's Rowing Head Coach
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Matt Weaver enters his fourth season as the head coach of Drexel University men’s rowing after joining the Dragons in September 2023. In each of his first three seasons at the helm, Weaver has led Drexel to the men’s points title at the Dad Vail Regatta while coaching four athletes to All-American honors.
Last season, the Dragons made history at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, capturing the men’s points title for the fifth consecutive year while securing the overall championship for the third straight season. The Varsity 8+ claimed gold for the fourth time in the past five years, while Drexel totaled a program-best five gold medals.
The Dragons climbed as high as No. 16 in the national rankings and defeated several ranked opponents throughout the spring campaign. Drexel automatically qualified for the IRA National Championships, with the 2V8+ and 3V8+ teams advancing to the Third Final. Kyle Brown was named an Empacher-IRCA Second Team All-American, becoming just the third All-American in program history, while Matthew Kennedy earned Honorable Mention recognition. Weaver and his staff were also one of three Division I coaching staffs nominated for Coaching Staff of the Year.
The 2024-25 campaign saw Drexel capture the men’s title at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta for the fourth consecutive year. Alongside the women’s program, the Dragons took home the overall points title in back-to-back seasons. The varsity 4+ team qualified for the Second Final at the IRA National Championships as Andrew Manns was named to the IRA 2025 Watch List.
Weaver was selected to coach the United States Senior Men’s Lightweight 4x team at the 2024 Under 23 World Rowing Championships in St. Catharines, Canada. The team collected the gold medal, setting a new American record in the event at 5:47.74. Additionally, three members of the men’s rowing team represented the United States at the Championships, as Josh Diggons won gold in the Men’s Coxed Four (BM4+). James Schmidt was a part of the Men’s Quadruple Scull (BM4x) that set a new U.S. record, giving the team their best finish since 2011.
During his first year as head coach, Weaver led the Dragons to their third consecutive Dad Vail Varsity 8+ Championship, as well as the Men’s Team Championship. At the IRA National Championship in 2024, he also helped the Dragons secure their best ever team finish as the 15th place team. Throughout the regular season, the team also secured the Philadelphia City Championships at the Bergen Cup Regatta. Under Weaver’s guidance, Josh Diggons was named an IRCA Second Team All-American, as Damian Lis earned Honorable Mention status.
Prior to joining Dragons, Weaver was an assistant coach at national powerhouse University of Washington, and Philadelphia rival, Temple University. At Washington, he was a part of the coaching staff that guided the Huskies to a sweep of the 2021 IRA National Championship, and a third-place finish in 2022. He also helped UW to a championship in the 2022 Royal Henley Regatta Visitors Challenge Cup. With the Temple Owls, he assisted the Varsity 8+ to a bronze medal at the American Athletic Conference Championships, the first medal for the V8+ at the event since 2016. He was also responsible for the creation and implementation of a year-round training program for the team.
Internationally, Danilo Djokic represented Serbia at the 2026 World Rowing U23 Championships. Four members of the Dragons qualified for the 2025 U23 World Rowing Championships, the most in a single year in program history. He also coached the Men's Double team, manned by Matthew Kennedy and Ryan Miller. Weaver was the Senior Lightweight national team coach for the USA in 2024, leading the Lightweight 4x to a Silver medal and an American record at the World Championships. In 2021, he was the U23 national team coach for Canada in 2021, co-leading the men's U23 4- to a World Championship and the U23 1x to a 14th place finish. Weaver also has coaching experience at La Salle, Winchester College and at Crescent Boat Club.
He earned his bachelor's in criminology from Penn in 2016 and a master's in education from La Salle in 2019.
