Seattle Pacific University rowing is regarded as one of the premier small college crew programs on the West Coast, particularly in the lightweight and four-oared categories.

The arrival of rowing on the Seattle Pacific University campus and its later adoption as a varsity sport was due largely to the activism of students. In 1972, master's student David Covey, a former member of the University of Washington crew, organized a men's club program. By the spring of '73, both Covey's men and Bernie Delke's women's program were using borrowed boats and training regularly in Lake Washington.

Interest on campus continued to build until, in 1977, a student petition to the SPU administration resulted in the funding of a varsity program for men and women. Before long, the Falcon fleet was testing itself against some of the best in the nation, and bringing home some bounty. The 1981 men's open four became the first to row at a national-caliber regatta, finishing third at the Dad Vail, the unofficial small college championships. That same year, the women's four were bronze medalists at their AIAW nationals.

John Terwilliger, a member of that '81 boat, is still recognized as the most successful rower in SPU history. Terwilliger was named to the U.S. Olympic team in 1980, '84 and '88. He was a member of the silver medalist eight in Los Angeles in 1984, and in 1986 he was in the lineup when the Americans won the gold at the world championships. Rachel Engelberth, who rowed in the '81 women's nationals for Seattle Pacific, later made the pre-elite U.S. National Team.

During the tenure of coach Jim Schultz, the SPU crew program was modernized. Composite shells and oars were acquired through fundraising and a launching dock on the nearby Ship Canal was constructed. In 1992 the crew moved into its current shellhouse in Brougham Pavilion. Schultz's 1985 women's lightweight eight also won the first Pacific Coast Rowing Championship (PCRC) in school history (they took the silver in '86 as well).

Under Keith Jefferson, the Falcons have reached new heights at the national level. The Falcon women's four won back-to-back national titles in 2000 and ‘01, and then again in 2003 and ’04. Also in 2004, the women’s four advanced to the semifinals of the Henley Women’s regatta in England. The men's light four was second at the Dad Vail Regatta in 2000. In 2002, SPU won national crowns in the women’s pair and novice four and in 2003 they took gold in the varsity four and lightweight four. Since 1991, Seattle Pacific has won 27 regional medals, including 13 golds since 1996. In 2001, the women won their first overall Northwest conference crown.

Year	Women's Coach	
1978
1979	Roy Dunbar	
1980	Roy Dunbar
1981	Roy Dunbar	
1982	Roy Dunbar
1983	Carolyn Slater
1984	Carolyn Patten
1985	Jim Schultz
1986	Jim Schultz
1987	Jim Schultz
1988	Jim Schultz
1989	Jim Schultz
1990	Jim Schultz
1991	Keith Jefferson
1992	Keith Jefferson
1993	Keith Jefferson
1994	Keith Jefferson
1995	Keith Jefferson
1996	Keith Jefferson
1997	Keith Jefferson
1998	Keith Jefferson
1999	Keith Jefferson
2000	Keith Jefferson
2001	Keith Jefferson
2002	Keith Jefferson
2003	Keith Jefferson
2004	Keith Jefferson
2005	Keith Jefferson
2006	Keith Jefferson