Florida Institute of Technology Men's Rowing

Adam Thorstad was named the Head Men's Rowing Coach July 2023. Thorstad previously served as the Florida Tech women's rowing head coach for 16 seasons.   During Thorstad's 16 seasons with the women's rowing program, earned SSC Coach of the Year six times, five Boat of the Year winners, 56 All-SSC selections, 16 All-Americans, five Academic All-Americans, and produced six NCAA appearances with a runner-up finish in 2019.   In his first season at the helm, the Panthers placed second overall at the SSC Championships and third at the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships and the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. They fared well against some of the best competition in the country, finishing sixth at the Dad Vail Regatta and the NCAA Division II Championships.   He guided the women's varsity eight and four to the program's second NCAA Division II Women's Rowing Championship appearance in his fourth season in 2010. Tech finished fourth in overall points, with the varsity eight placing sixth and varsity four taking second.   Thorstad produced three of the program's best finishes from 2017-2019. The Panthers won back-to-back-to-back conference titles and NCAA appearances.   In 2017, the Varsity 8 boat finished at NCAAs, while the team also accrued wins at Knecht Cup and FIRA for the first time since 1983.   The following season was comprised of winning back-to-back Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association and Sunshine State Conference titles, coupled by a Silver medal at SIRA, a Margaret McNiff trophy at Dad Vail's, and a consecutive third-place finish at the NCAA DII Women's Rowing Championships.   In 2019, Thorstad brought the Panthers to their most successful season in program history as the Tech finished runner-up at the NCAA Championship. The Panthers continued its domination of the FIRA and SSC regattas, which led his team to sweep the SSC awards and two members of the team to be named Pocock/CRCA All-America First Team. In 2025, he led the Panthers to a 15th-place finish at the IRA National Championship. Additionally, the freshman 4+ won the Lindy Cup at the Dad Vail Regatta.   Prior to stepping into his role at Florida Tech, Thorstad gained head coaching experience while teaching precalculus and geometry at Belen Jesuit Prep in Miami, Fla. At the institution, he was involved with coaching and training the varsity, junior varsity, and novice athletes, as well as recruitment and retention. During his one year, he helped lead the boy's team to a fourth-place finish at the Florida Scholastic State Regatta.   Thorstad was a graduate assistant at Marietta College from 2003-05. His duties included recruiting and coaching freshmen and overseeing the student work-study program. At Dad Vail's, his freshman eight crew bested its competition in 2004 and 2005, taking third.   Upon graduating from Florida Tech in 2001, Thorstad was the Panthers men's rowing assistant coach for two years. Under his guidance, the 2002 freshman eight took fifth at Dad Vail, and his 2003 freshman four earned third place.   A men's rowing alum, he served as his team's captain for the 2000-01 season. He helped the men's pair collect a fourth-place finish at Dad Vail in 2000. One year later, his varsity four took third place.   Thorstad earned his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Florida Tech in 2001 and his Master's in Education from Marietta College in 2005.   He holds Level III Coaching Certification from the USRowing Association. He resides in Indialantic with his wife Patricia and their two daughters, Mia and Julia.

Catherine Davie was hired as the Men's Rowing Assistant Coach in August 2023. She previously served as the women's rowing assistant coach for two seasons. Prior to Florida Tech, Davie served as the head girls rowing coach at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She brings with her to Melbourne numerous years of coaching experience at the scholastic, club, and collegiate levels.   Davie was the head coach at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) from 2017 to 2021. During her time at CRLS, Davie coached to the team to a conference championship in Spring 2019, a top-20 finish in the girls Varsity 4+ at the 2019 Head of the Charles Regatta and won the Varsity 4+ event at the 2019 textiles.   Coinciding with her time at CRLS, Davie also was a rowing coach for Community Rowing Inc. in Boston, Ma. from 2016 to 2020. In this role, she coached a wide variety of age groups ranging from middle school and high school to Under-23 and masters. Some of her duties included running a U23 sculling development camp and serving as head coach of the military outreach programming. Additionally, she helped build specialized equipment for para-rowers.   From 2015 to 2017, Davie was a personal trainer at the Boston Sports Club where she worked with clients to set goals, create custom training plans, and develop body awareness.   Davie began her coaching career at Brandeis University in Waltham, Ma. She served as an assistant coach from 2010 to 2012 while earning her master's degree and then returned as head coach from 2014 to 2016. In her role, she ran practices, developed training plans and schedule transportation for competition and training trips.   Davie was a four-year member of the Smith College women's rowing team from 2006 to 2010. She served as captain of the team and helped Smith reached the NCAA Championships in 2009. She led the fundraising committee in her role as a captain and organized a silent auction in Spring 2010. Davie received the team's Rita Benson award in consecutive years for "getting things done behind the scenes".   A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Davie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology & Classics from Smith College in 2010. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Classics from Brandeis in 2012 and then earned a Master of Arts in Maritime Studies from the University of Haifa in 2014.   Additionally, she holds USRowing Level II certification as well as certificates in CPR/AED, Boating and Safesport.