ITHACA, N.Y. — The late Charles 'Pop' Courtney, who served at the helm of the Cornell men's rowing program 1889 to 1920, and was later inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1978, was one of three historical rowing head coaches to be inducted into the IRCA's inaugural Class of 2023 in the newly-established Men's Varsity Collegiate Rowing Hall of Fame this past weekend.

Courtney began his coaching career at Cornell in 1884 when he assisted in the training of the crew — a role he continued to play until he was named the head coach five years later — and organized Cornell's first eight-man crew. He also helped produce 14 intercollegiate championships between 1896 and 1915.

During his time on East Hill, Cornell participated at the Royal Henley Regatta in England in 1895 before the Big Red's eight-man varsity crew eestablished a world record at the Poughkeepsie Regatta on the four-mile course.

Considered a pioneer of crew coaching techniques, Courtney served as a great leader and turning Cornell into the capital of the collegiate rowing world.

Also inducted into the Men's Varsity Collegiate Rowing Hall of Fame this past weekend were Cal's Carroll 'Ky' Ebright, Washington's Al Ulbrickson, and Yale's Stephen Gladstone.