Seattle Pacific University Athletics

In 2018-19, Andrew Derrick is in his third season at the helm of the Seattle Pacific women's rowing program.

A former University of Washington standout, he served five seasons directing the Central Oklahoma program and was hired at SPU on Oct. 19, 2016.
 
Derrick, 34, returns to Seattle where he was a four-year UW letterman and helped the freshman crew to the 2001 national championship. He rowed in the bow seat for the Huskies' national runner-up varsity eight boats in 2003 and 2004.
 
A 2004 graduate with a bachelor's degree in history, Derrick returned to UW to earn his master's in intercollegiate athletic leadership in 2008 while also coaching at the University of Central Florida. He was named a to the All-Pac-10 Team as well as earning all-conference academic honors three years in a row.

Growth in quantity and quality was the focus in Derrick's first two seasons with the Falcons. Taking the roster from four members upon his arrival to approximately 30 each of the past two seasons was the first step towards rapidly improving results.

The team’s success standards grew from fielding a competitive race schedule which included entering NCAA boats in national regattas for the first time in nearly a decade, to being nationally ranked as well as  to defeating perennial DII rival Western Washington in the varsity eight for what is believed to be the first time under the NCAA system.
 
Derrick was named head coach at Central Oklahoma in 2011 and directed the team to the program’s first ever bid to the NCAA Championships that season. The Bronchos qualified for NCAAs all five years under Derrick leadership with steadily improving results and were national team runners-up in 2016 after placing fourth in 2015. Their varsity eight and varsity four crews each won silver medals at the 2016 Championships.
 
UCO also produced its program’s first 11 All-America rowers under Derrick.
 
"Andy has a history of growing rowing programs, a history in the Pacific Northwest, a track record of competitive excellence, and above all he is someone who matches our desire to develop student athletes into young women and men ready to impact the world for Christ," said SPU athletic director Jackson Stava.
 
"I feel a great sense of peace that Andy is the coach that can revive SPU rowing here on our campus. I am thrilled to have Andy join the Falcon family."
 
Derrick came to UCO from the University of Oklahoma where he helped start the rowing program as an assistant in 2008. He was honored as the 2009 South Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
 
Prior to Oklahoma, Derrick worked as the novice coach at Central Florida from 2006 to 2008.
 
"I'd like to thank President (Daniel) Martin, Jeff Jordan and Jackson Stava for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity," Derrick said. "SPU rowing has a long, successful history in one of America's great rowing cities and I look forward to playing a part in future successes that I am confident will come. There is a lot of work to do, especially with it being mid October, but I am incredibly excited to get started."
 
Before embarking on a coaching career, Derrick worked in Everett, Wash. for Pocock Racing Shells, one of the nation's premier boat manufacturers. While there, he also managed First Boat Co., a partner company to Pocock that specializes in supplying top quality, refurbished equipment to teams not able to purchase new shells.
 
The Ohio native started his competitive career with the Cincinnati Jr. Rowing Club where he won a national championship in the men's youth eight.
 
Between his sophomore and junior years at UW, Derrick competed in the pairs event at the USRowing Club Nationals, winning both the Intermediate and Senior national championships as well posting as a fifth place finish in the Elite level event.
 
Internationally, Derrick represented the United States in 1999 and again in 2001 when he won a silver medal at the U-23 World Championships in Linz, Austria.
 
In 2003, he traveled with the Huskies to England to celebrate Washington's 100th year of rowing. The team won the prestigious Royal Henley Regatta, the oldest invitational race in the world, and tied a course record in the process.
 
Derrick is eager to return to Seattle and take advantage of some of the unique benefits that the city and university offer rowers.
 
"In terms of rowing, Seattle Pacific has things going for it most programs can only dream of. A boathouse not only on campus, but attached to the rest of the athletic department creates an incredible experience for the SPU rowing student-athletes. 
 
"An opportunity to participate in our great sport, in the picturesque rowing environment of Seattle, and be integrated with the rest of the SPU athletics community and university as a whole is truly unique. I also think a lot of high school student-athletes are also going to realize what an opportunity it is, and join us here at SPU."
 
Derrick is married to the former Karin Brevick, who was an All-America rower at Washington State, and they have two daughters, Kathryn (3) and Josephine (8 mo).  He started at SPU on Nov. 1, 2016 replacing Keith Jefferson, who served 26 seasons from 1991-2016.