Coaches
Colin Darnton
Head Coach
Colin is a 2017 graduate from the University of Michigan where he rowed for 4 years. While at Michigan, he won gold in the Second Varsity 8+ at the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA) National Championship his junior year, and as a senior, Colin was one of eight athletes selected to the ACRA All Great Lakes Region Team. Colin also had a successful high school rowing career, making the Grand Final at Youth Nationals twice and winning multiple Midwest Regional championships.
Bjorn Boquist
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Bjorn is from Bloomington, IN and attended the University of Miami (FL), graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. He was a four year varsity swimmer at the University of Miami and was team captain in his senior year. Bjorn joined the Lincoln Park boat club and quickly grew fond of the sport because of the competition, challenge, and friendship it offered. He later coached novice and varsity men's crew for 4 years at the University of Chicago, where the team's varsity lightweight four medaled at the Head of the Charles, Dad Vail, and ACRA.
Jordan Villarreal
Novice Men’s Coach
Jordan Villarreal was born and raised in Rockford, MI where he coxed for his high school crew team and placed fourth in the nation at the Scholastic National Regatta. He continued coxing at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in his junior and senior year. Villarreal coached Forest Hills Eastern High School in Ada, MI this past year, which made him fall in love with rowing all over again and want to continue his coaching career.
Terra Levin
Novice Women’s Coach
"Rowing for me is a lifelong sport, where you are constantly learning and seeking the perfect stroke." One day Terra Levin was running from her house to the Lincoln Park Boat Club to meet her current boyfriend, now husband, when she came upon a four-person rowing shell with only three seats filled. The rowers begged her to hop in and she did. She's been in love with the sport ever since. Levin has rowed for over 40 years, coxed and coached. She still loves to compete in the sport and is looking forward to coaching at NU Crew.
JAKE LAPRES
Assistant Coach
Jake rowed for 5 years, starting his senior year of high school. He graduated from Northwestern in 2020 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, during his time at NU, he rowed with the team and served two terms on the executive board: equipment chair and men's team captain. Currently, he works full-time as a Sales Engineer for Probat Inc., but he's glad to be able help out the team this fall and continue to share his passion and knowledge of the sport.
Jackson lifford
Assistant Coach
Jackson is a 2022 graduate of Northwestern and Northwestern Crew. He rowed for 4 years at Buckingham Browne & Nichols in Cambridge MA, before rowing for a year in D3 at Connecticut College. After that he transferred to NU and rowed for 4 years. Currently he is head coach for the NSC Masters rowing team as well as assistant coach for the new ETHS team and Northwestern Crew. He is excited to continue to work with the team to continue growing and improving as they have over the past few years!
