2024-25 Men's Rowing Roster

Derek Hissong

  • Height 6-1
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Seattle, Wash.
  • High School Seattle Prep
  • Major Integrated Engineering

Biography

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
  • 2024 First Team All-WIRA (Varsity Eight)
  • 2024 Second Team All-Western Sprints
  • Team USA 2024 FISU World University Rowing Championships selection

SENIOR (2024-25)

  • First Team All-WIRA
  • MPSF Men’s Rowing All-Conference Team
  • MPSF All-Academic Team
  • Competed in 15 races for the Toreros
  • Rowed in the stroke seat in USD’s first-ever Henley Royal Regatta races in England, upsetting defending champs Oxford Brookes by just two feet in the first round (July 2)
  • Kicked off the season with a win out of 42 schools in the Collegiate 4+ race in the stroke position during the iconic Head of the Charles Regatta (October 18-20)
  • Recorded his second win in as many starts to begin the season in the Collegiate 4+ race at the Head of the American Regatta (October 26) 
  • Logged a third-place finish in the Collegiate 8+ during the Head of the American Regatta (October 26)
  • Recorded second and third place finishes in San Diego’s “A” boats of the Open 4+ race and the Open 8+ race, respectively, during the San Diego Fall Classic (November 10)
  • Registered a win in the 1V8+ boat against Santa Clara in the Redwood Shores Invitational (March 1-2)
  • Logged a first-place finish in the Toreros’ 1V8+ boat in the Saturday heat of the San Diego Crew Classic (March 29-30) before a fourth-place finish in the grand finals. 
  • Recorded a runner-up finish at the WIRA Championships (April 26-27) after winning the heat the day before. 
  • Helped USD garner its program-best finish at the IRA Championships (May 30-June 1), placing 10th out of 39 teams, in the Varsity 4+ race in the stroke position
JUNIOR (2023-24)
  • Selected to represent the United States at the 2024 FISU World University Rowing Championships as a part of the men's four, held in Rotterdam, Netherlands
  • Competed in 11 races across all eight of USD's regattas on the season
  • Logged three wins; in the Men’s Open 4+ and the Men’s Open 8+ at the Head of The American (Oct. 28) as well as in the Men’s Open 4+ of the San Diego Fall Classic (Nov. 12)
  • Also contributed to three runner-up finishes at: The Head of the Charles in the Collegiate 4 where the team recorded a then program-best finish at the event, the world’s largest rowing regatta (Oct. 22), in the “A” entry of the Men’s Open 8+ of the San Diego Fall Classic (Nov. 12) and in the 1st varsity eight of the WIRA Championships (April 27-28)
SOPHOMORE (2022-2023)
  • Western Sprints All-Conference Second Team
  • Competed in six races for the Toreros in the 1st varsity four and 1st varsity eight
FRESHMAN (2021-2022)
  • Competed in all seven of the Toreros' events in the First Varsity Eight and the Freshman/Novice Eight
HIGH SCHOOL
  • Attended the Seattle Preparatory School in Seattle, Washington
  • Was a member of the Adelphia Honor Society
  • Played soccer and basketball
CLUB
  • Competed with the Pocock Rowing Center under head coach Helen Tilghman
  • Placed first in the Men’s V2 at the 2021 NW Regionals
  • Placed fifth in the Men’s Youth 4x at the 2019 San Diego Crew Classic
  • Placed second in the Men's Youth 1x and 4x at the 2019 Head of the Lake
  • Placed 17th and 16th respectively in Men’s Youth 2x at the 2019 and 2018 Head of the Charles
  • Was named Commodore of the 2020-2021 Pocock Youth Men's Rowing Team
PERSONAL
  • Son of Steve Hissong and Natasha Turcinovic-Hissong
  • Father rowed for Cornell University
  • Hobbies include hiking, swimming, biking, and cooking
  • Notes that he enjoys learning about the physiology of sports and how to improve performance and is interested in space

Historical Player Information

  • 2021-22Freshman

    6'1"
  • 2022-23Sophomore

    6'1"
  • 2023-24Junior

    6'1"
  • 2024-25Senior

    6'1"