Team Captains 2021

     Coach Love started his rowing career with St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia, PA. At the time, he rowed out of the Penn AC boathouse on historic Boathouse Row along the Schuylkill River. He competed in the varsity eight his sophomore through senior seasons with his crews having much success. He earned two gold medals in the Stotesbury Cup Regatta along with a bronze, silver, and eventual gold medal in the National Championship Regatta. As a result of winning gold in the Nationals his senior season, his crew earned the opportunity to compete internationally at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames River in England. He spent much of his time at the river over the course of his high school years learning from some of the best coaches in the country while rowing for St. Joseph’s Prep as well as Pennsylvania Athletic Club (Penn AC). 

     Michael went on to row for Syracuse University under a full athletic scholarship and competed as a member of the varsity eight his sophomore through senior seasons. His collegiate highlight came during his sophomore season when his varsity eight crew fought their way to an undefeated regular season. That same season they went on to place third in the Grand Final at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship (IRA Regatta). This result earned his Syracuse crew an invitation to the National Collegiate Rowing Championship. His crew fell just short of a medal in this event finishing fourth behind the University of Wisconsin, Harvard, and UCLA.  At the close of his senior season while at Syracuse University, he once again had the opportunity to head back overseas and compete in the Henley Royal Regatta in England.

     Coach Love is married with 3 children. He enjoys volunteering his time by staying actively involved in coaching his children’s sporting activities. He has coached youth baseball, basketball, football, soccer and crew. Michael really enjoys watching those he works with develop confidence in their athletic endeavors.

     Michael is a US Rowing Level 2 Certified Coach

     Sathy Gunawardhana rowed competitively in Sri Lanka at Royal College, an all-boys school, from 1988 to 93. During that time, he competed in the Hong Kong Amateur Rowing Championships in 1991 and obtained his high school colors by winning in the Senior Sculls category in 1992. He also rowed in the Sri Lanka Nationals, winning in the Intermediate Sculls category in 1992 and was runner up in the Senior Sculls category in 1993. He became a US Rowing Level 2 Certified Coach in 2019. 

     An avid athlete, Sathy has pursued scuba diving and long-distance running for many years. He has completed ten Marine Corps Marathons, and is a member of the Marine Corps Marathon Runners Club. Additionally, Sathy has run many other races and distances in the region, including half- marathons, marathons, ultra-marathons, and relays. He has captained four teams for the overnight races in the Ragnar Relay series, winning first place in their category in 2017 in Washington, DC. Sathy branched into long-distance walking in 2019, completing the Kennedy 50-Mile Walk with his girlfriend, Vicki. 

     Sathy received his President’s Scout award, equivalent to an Eagle Scout award, in 1992 from the Sri Lanka Scout Association. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1998 from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Master of Business Administration in 2005 from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has been living in Loudoun County since 2006 and is the father of one daughter, who attends Farmwell Station Middle School and training to become an oarsman herself. 

     Sathy is a US Rowing Level 2 Certified Coach.