Susan Parkman

Head Coach
Office Phone: (503) 370-6655
Cell Phone: (503) 758-5928
E-mail: sparkman@willamette.edu

Susan Parkman is in her fifth year as the head coach of the Willamette University men's and women's rowing teams. She began working at Willamette in March of 2006. Among highlights for the Bearcats under Parkman's guidance are a fifth place finish at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in the women's collegiate 4+ in the fall of 2007, an 11th place finish at the Head of the Charles in 2008 and an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III National Championship Regatta in the spring of 2009.

Parkman has extensive experience with rowing, both as a competitor and as a coach. Prior to arriving at Willamette to lead the Bearcats, she coached at the collegiate level at Santa Clara University and at the University of Washington.

She also has been an assistant coach with U.S. Rowing and represented the United States as a coach at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. She coached the U.S. women’s single sculler to a ninth place finish out of 24 entries.

Her interest in rowing began as a college student at Humboldt State University. A few years later, she became head coach at Santa Clara. Parkman then went to the University of Washington, where she was assistant novice women’s coach. Her experience also includes coaching at Lakeside High School in Seattle, Wash., where her efforts resulted in the varsity girl’s team placing several rowers at the national level. She also worked with an outreach project, the Lakeside Educational Enrichment Program, to get young people entering the ninth grade involved in rowing.

At Willamette, Parkman has significant goals for the Bearcats. The men’s and women’s teams compete in the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference (NCRC) and the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) and the Intercollegiate Rowing Association. The women’s team also competes in NCAA Division III.

“My goals ultimately are to win the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference and to get a berth at the NCAA Championship for the women’t team,” Parkman said.

“I’m thrilled to work with student-athletes at this stage of their lives ... helping to teach them the skills needed to balance the demands of academics and athletics. I want to open their eyes to see that they are capable of so much more than they think. I emphasize the skills of teamwork: trusting each other as they work hard together.”

In addition to her duties at WU, she coaches at the master’s level with the Willamette Rowing Club in Portland, Ore. Parkman also is a professional photographer, known for her portraits and rowing photos. Parkman and her husband, Tiff Wood, live in Portland.

Todd Vogt

Assistant Coach

Todd Vogt joins the Bearcats this year as an assistant coach. He began rowing his freshman year at University of Buffalo, where he started on the lightweight team. By his senior year he was Captain of the heavyweight team, racing in the heavyweight four. While rowing at Buffalo, he competed and won medals at various regattas including the New York State Collegiate Championships and the Dad Vail regatta. After graduating he continued rowing with the West Side Rowing Club, competing and winning medals in various regattas such as US Nationals and Canadian Henley. After moving to Portland in 2000, he joined the Portland Boat Club and continues to row and race with this club.

In 2005, he began coaching at the Lake Oswego Community Rowing club working with master rowers, beginning scullers and sweep rowers. For the last two years he has been coaching juniors at the club, specifically the novice men.

Todd lives in Portland with his wife, Heather.

Jeff Jorgensen

Assistant Coach

Jeff Jorgensen joins the Bearcats this year as an assistant rowing coach. He was hired by Willamette after serving as a high school rowing coach for five years in Washington, D.C. He led his high school teams to multiple wins in regional competition. He also guided the Thompson Boat Center junior men's team to several gold medals at the U.S. Rowing Club National Championships. Prior to coaching at the high school level, Jorgensen was the freshman assistant coach under head coach Fred Honebein at the University of Washington.

Jorgensen received a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington, where he won Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championships three time, with one title in each of three different boat classes. He was the first Washington rower to win three championships since 1950. Jorgensen also won medals a tthe PAC-10 Championships, the U.S. Rowing Club National Championships and the Canadian Henley. He reached the quarterfinals in the Britannia Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta in England.

At Willamette, Jorgensen is in his first year as a student in the College of Law. His wife, Suzanne, is a native of Seattle, Wash.

Chase Cunitz

Assistant Coach

Chase Cunitz is a first year assistant coach for the Bearcats. He joins the Bearcats from Detroit, Michigan where he has been a coaching volunteer for Orchard Lake St. Mary's Preparatory, the Detroit Rowing Club and the Ann Arbor Rowing Club. Cunitz rowed for Orchard Lake St. Mary's Preparatory and then rowed for Northeastern University in Boston. He transfered to Hillsdale College and was a decathlete and parliamentary debater until his graduation in 2008 with a degree in Finance and Investments.

Chase is currently a JD-MBA graduate student at Willamette and will be volunteering as a coach and mentor to the rowers.