A key member of the Crew team during his time in Riverdale, he helped the team win the Grimaldi Cup Regatta and the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Rowing Championships in the Heavyweight 4+ event as a junior. After a fire destroyed the team’s boathouse in the Fall of 1978, Houlihan’s enthusiasm rallied the team and paced two Varsity boats to wins at the Gimaldi Cup and to the team championship at the MIRA Championships, taking home wins in three events. He led Manhattan to its first ever appearance at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships before competing for the New York Athletic Club as a postgraduate. With the NYAC Houlihan helped win five US National team titles, and was among the elite in US Rowing from 1980-1984, advancing to the semi-finals of the Olympic Trials twice.