(courtesy of Row2K and NavySports.com)
Michael Hughes, long-time Navy Rowing coach and admired figure in the rowing community, passed away on August 11, 2023, following a long illness. He was 73 years old. He left a legacy that transcended his accomplishments on the water and impacted the lives of generations of midshipmen, athletes, students, and coaches.
A native of Atlantic City, Mike joined the Atlantic City Beach Patrol in 1965, where he served the community as an Ocean Lifeguard for 32 years. He graduated from Holy Spirit High School in 1968 and Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 1972. Mike played four years as an offensive lineman during one of the longest winning streaks in NCAA Division III football history. After graduating, he began his career as a teacher and coach, teaching special education in Brigantine and coaching football, baseball, and rowing at Holy Spirit. There, he fell in love with rowing and embarked on a prolific coaching career that would span five decades.
Mike served as the Dean of Students at Stockton State College in the early 1980s, founding the college's rowing program that is still going strong today. Throughout the 1980s, he continued teaching in South Jersey and Philadelphia schools while coaching at the Viking Rowing Club and other local programs. Mike secured his first major collegiate coaching position at the University of Pennsylvania in 1987, coaching the men's freshmen lightweight team to a bronze medal in the 1989 Eastern Sprints, followed by a silver medal performance in 1990.
His journey at the United States Naval Academy began in 1991 when he was initially named the head coach of the lightweight team (1991-94) before later going on to serve as the plebe heavyweight coach (1995-97) and then the head women's coach from 1998 until he retired in 2015. During his 18-year tenure at the helm, Navy was one of the most successful women's programs in the Mid-Atlantic region and Hughes recognized as a four-time Patriot League Coach of the Year (2005, 2008, 2013 and 2015) while leading the Mids to three Patriot League Championships and two NCAA Championship bids.
Always one to hold his student-athletes to high levels of achievement both on and off the water, Hughes saw his women's teams total 39 CRCA National Scholar-Athlete awards, 19 CRCA All-Mid-Atlantic Regional accolades and five Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. Since the Patriot League instituted its postseason championship in 2005, Hughes and the Midshipmen won 14 individual boat titles at the league regatta and took home the team titles in 2005, 2013 and 2015, while tying for the top spot in 2008. In five other Patriot League Championships, Navy placed second. Mike co-taught leadership courses and mentored numerous midshipmen during his time at the Academy. Mike was humbled and honored to play a part in developing future Naval Officers and often referenced that as his greatest accomplishment.
In addition to coaching, Mike managed multiple US Rowing National Teams and was a member of the 1988 US Olympic Team as the Team Manager.
He is survived by his wife, Kari; his children, Michael Jr, Sean (Annette), Erik (Elaine), Grace, Claire, Ethan, and Seth; his grandchildren, Bennett, Aidan, Angelina, Ryan, and Brandon; his sisters Linda Hughes-Fonte, Mary Beth McCann, Toni Cafone and his brother, Tom Hughes. Memorials at the United States Naval Academy and in Atlantic City are planned for the coming weeks.
