Feb. 21, 2005

Fairfax, VA- Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Tom O'Connor announced today that Geoff Dillard has accepted the position of head coach of the women's rowing team at George Mason. The University of Dayton graduate becomes the third coach in George Mason rowing history, succeeding Paul Rassam and Mason's first coach Elena Bratichko.

Dillard comes to Mason from the University of Dayton with 10 years intercollegiate experience, five as a student-athlete and as a coach for the past five seasons. The Boston, Mass, native oversaw the women's program for the Flyers as head coach the past two seasons.

The Division I rowers finished fifth place in team points at the A-10 Championships and the Varsity 8+ finished in fifth place at ECAC last season. While coaching the Novice women's team during the 2002-03 season, the Novice 8+ finished in fourth place at the A-10 Championships.

He first joined his alma mater's staff in 2000 after earning his bachelor's degree in sport management. He immediately tasted success coaching the novice men's lightweight 8+ to a silver medal at SIRA regatta and a bronze medal at the Dad Vail Regatta. During his reign as assistant women's rowing coach, Dillard helped the second Varsity 8+ to a second place at Head of the Ohio Regatta, and a third place finish at the A-10 Championships in 2002.

As a student-athlete he was awarded the Most Outstanding Senior Award in 2000. He rowed the five seat in lightweight 8+ as a senior that placed second at SIRA, second at Dad Vail and finished fifth in the Petite Finals IRA. The team finished 13th in the U.S. Rowing Coaches Poll. He rowed for the Riverside Boat Club Olympic Development Lightweight Camp summer of 1999 and competed at U.S. Nationals, Club Nationals and Canadian Henley.