Bryan Volpenhein rowed the eight for the USA at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in 2004 and a bronze in 2008. From 1998-2007 he competed at eight World Championships, mostly in the eight, although he rowed the four in 2005 and 2007. He won gold medals in the eight in 1998-99, a silver medal in 2003, and a bronze medal in 2002. He won World Cup gold medals in the eight in 2001-02 and 2004.
Volpenhein rowed at The Ohio State University. He later studied culinary arts at The Art Institute of Seattle. He became a coach, starting at the University of San Diego. Volpenhein became head coach at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019 but resigned that position in 2022 to move to Oklahoma where his wife had been named head coach of the University of Oklahoma women’s rowing team.