SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – After 32 years at the helm of the Union College men's and women's crew teams, Tom White has announced his retirement following the end of the 2025-26 season, Director of Athletics Jim McLaughlin '93 announced on Wednesday.
 
"Coaching at Union has been an honor and a privilege and I feel blessed to have experienced the journey," said White. "The culture and history at the College is rich; it both inspires and molds you. I will miss this very special place."
 
White started the crew programs as club sports in 1994 and led the squads to varsity status beginning in the fall of 1997, as well as guiding the women's team into NCAA competition when the NCAA started sponsoring women's crew as a championship sport at the Division III level in 2002. The only head coach the programs have ever known, White has coached more than 600 Union student-athletes in his over three decades of service to Union College.
 
"Tom White is synonymous with Union crew and we have been privileged to have him as steward of the program for more than three decades," said McLaughlin. "He has been an amazing teacher and advocate to so many student-athletes over his tenure and has played a vital role in the continued growth and strength of our crew programs both in and out of the water. We wish Tom well on his well-deserved retirement."
 
White was named the Liberty League Coach of the Year in 2012, becoming the first non-Hobart coach to earn the honor after finishing behind only the Statesmen in the Varsity 8 final while also taking second in the Second Varsity 8 and the Novice 8. He led the teams to six Liberty League titles during his tenure, with Union squads earning two Varsity 4+ titles, one Second Varsity 8+ win and three Novice 4+ victories at the conference championships, while the men's team earned the first national ranking in recent program history during the 2021-22 campaign. A total of 36 student-athletes have earned All-Liberty League honors under his watch, including current assistant coach Alyson (Insero) Greenman '18.
 
"Few people get the opportunity to be coached by someone they deeply respect and then later work alongside them as a colleague; I was fortunate enough to experience both with Coach White," said Greenman. "As one of his rowers and later as one of his assistant coaches, I saw the passion, discipline, and care he poured into this program and its rowers. It means a great deal to me that he trusted me to help lead the team alongside him, and his legacy will continue through the countless rowers and coaches he has mentored over the years."

White is the only coach in the history of Union College to helm a program for more than 30 consecutive years and leaves as the second-longest tenured head coach ever at Union, trailing only the 34 years that Art Lawrence led the baseball team from 1939-42 and 1946-75.

Outside of the water, White spearheaded several major improvements to the program, including the renovation of the Boathouse on the Mohawk River and the creation of an indoor rowing facility inside Alumni Gym that was unveiled in 2020. In May 2024, the program added two new shells to its lineup: Gratia Motus for the Women's Varsity 4+, and Ajax for the Men's Varsity 8+. 
 
White has also seen four of his children attend Union: Curtis '18, who rowed one year at Union; Emma '19; Sarah '21; and Harrison '24, who was an All-Liberty League rower for Union over a four-year collegiate career.

A national search for the next head coach of the Union crew programs will begin soon.