Women’s Rowing 2017 Regular Season Overview

After a strong showing over the 2017 regular season, Syracuse Women’s Rowing is headed to the upcoming ACC Championships ranked #13 in the country with the first varsity eight boat earning top seed at the championships. Below is an overview of the racing from this season:

Doc Hosea Invite, April 2nd

 The Orange women competed for the Orange Challenge Cup and the Kittel Cup as well as the inaugural Doc Hosea Trophy. The invite consisted of 10 teams: Northeastern, Syracuse, UPenn, Boston University, Dartmouth, The Naval Academy, Rutgers, University of Massachusetts, University of Minnesota, and the University of Rhode Island. Syracuse swept the trophies, bringing all three back home after winning the 1V8+, 2V8+, 3V8+ and B4+ grand finals.

O’Leary Cup, April 15th

 In Saratoga, NY the team competed against Harvard-Radcliffe and Dartmouth for the 19th Elizabeth H O’Leary Cup. Going into this race Radcliffe was ranked above Syracuse (1V – Radcliffe #14, Syracuse #17; 2V – Radcliffe #12, Syracuse #15; V4+ - Radcliffe #14, Syracuse Unranked). However, after the racing in Saratoga the Orange proved it was time to reconsider the established rankings. The Syracuse 1V bested Radcliffe by 5.1 seconds and Dartmouth by 18 seconds to win the O’Leary Cup for the second year in a row. The team as a whole had a great day on the water with the 2V, V4+ and 3V8+ all winning their races as well. 

Clemson Invite, April 22nd

Syracuse Women’s Rowing showed up to Clemson, SC ready for some tough competition on Lake Hartwell. The Orange were up against a pack that included 9 of the top 20 teams in the country. The first varsity eight crew finished fourth in the grand final in a time of 6:23.803, defeating No. 10 Virginia, No. 11 Wisconsin, and No. 20 Indiana. The team placed 6th overall defeating Duke and Indiana among others.

Princeton, April 29th

To finish off the regular season the Orange traveled to Princeton, NJ to face off against No. 7 Princeton, No. 11 Iowa and UPenn. Once again, the 1V showed off their strength by defeating No. 11 Iowa and finishing less than 3 seconds behind No. 7 Princeton. Additionally, the 3V8 recorded a first-place finish coming in ahead of Princeton.

Other season highlights include the 1V8 being named ACC Crew of the Week three times over the course of the season. 

Last Chance to get Exclusive SARA Blanket!

only 3 days left to order your exclusive sara blanket! 

This is a REALLY nice blanket that is well worth the investment. It is a must-have for anyone who pulled an oar or steered a boat for Syracuse. This blanket will not be available on a regular basis so order yours now for the holiday season. Proceeds will help support SARA. 

Please contact Joe Kieffer '88 if you have any questions or concerns. 
jkieffer@email.com or by phone: (267) 228-1341

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Fall Racing Schedules Set for SU Rowing

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Click on the links below for the 2016 fall racing schedules. Hope to see some alumni there cheering on the Orange from the shores and bridges, especially at HOCR! 

Second annual duathlon complete. Let the fall season begin!

A photo posted by Syracuse Univ. Men's Rowing (@cuse_mrowing) on

The student-athletes are back on campus! Last week marked the first week of classes and both the men and women completed opening assessments to benchmark where they are at after summer racing and training. Now it's back to the waters of Onondaga to get in some quality strokes before the head races officially begin in October.

proud to be orange.

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Introducing the Class of 2020

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cuse.com article

Last week, head coach Dave Reischman officially introduced the latest signing class to join the men's rowing program. The group of fourteen eager young men began their careers as SU student-athletes as classes resumed with the start of a new semester last Monday. The incoming class is expected to have a noteworthy impact on the team as the Orange come off of their best season since 2012 with an overall 15th place team standing at the 2016 IRA Championships and look to keep the momentum going during their 2017 campaign. To learn more about the upcoming student-athletes and some of their impressive accolades and accomplishments click on the link to the cuse.com article above. 

““We are very excited to welcome this exceptional group of young men to our program. We believe they are a nice mix of athletes with international racing experience combined with athletes who possess the raw materials and work ethic to have a substantial impact on our program over the next four years. We can’t wait to get started with them this fall and introduce them to what it takes to be a Syracuse oarsman.””
— Men's Rowing Head Coach Dave Reischman

The most recent additions to the men's rowing roster include:

Andrew Cummings
6-6; 191; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Taylor Allderdice High School

Brennan Finley
6-6; 192; Ocean City, N.J.; St. Augustine Prep

Declan Fischback
6-2; 190; Rocky River, Ohio; Rocky River High School

Hadley Hoyle
6-5; 190; Orlando, Fla.; Dr. Phillips High School

Kenneth Hubbard
6-4; 190; Boca Raton, Fla.; Venice High School

Pieter Kerpestein
6-4; 207; Amsterdam, Netherlands

Alex Manfredi
5-5; 120; Vienna, Va.; James Madison High School

Alex Ormsby
6-6; 190; Westford, Mass.; Westford Academy

Nick Ormsby
6-6; 185; Westford, Mass.; Westford Academy

Sveta Radovic
6-6; 205; Beograd, Serbia; Sport Gymnasium

Sam Snedden
6-4; 190; Washington, D.C.; Woodrow Wilson High School

SunLee Stechuk
6-3; 182; Fairfax, Va.; Thomas Jefferson High School

Silviu Tudor
6-4; 185; Fairfield, Conn.

Luka Vrbaski
6-4; 190; Novi Sad, Serbia

 

These men have chosen to bleed Orange and pursue excellence at a university with some of the highest ranked undergraduate programs in the nation as members of one of the most recognized programs in the history of collegiate rowing. The student-athletes are not only exceptionally tall and powerful (with the erg scores and race results to prove it), but have also demonstrated a high level of maturity and experience while racing against elite competitors nationally and internationally. A solid number of the rowers have qualified and competed at the Junior World Rowing Championships. This class represents a strong push towards international recruiting, with athletes hailing from the U.S. and abroad. The men come primarily from along the east coast including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, D.C., Virginia, and Florida, and Ohio in the mid-west. The three international rowers made the journey to Syracuse from the Netherlands and Serbia. 

The coaching staff continues to recruit the highest level of talent both nationally and internationally as they build a roster with the depth and strength to compete with the top collegiate programs in the country. A large contributing factor to this effort has been the Frequent Flyer Miles donated by alumni so that the coaches can travel the globe to meet athletes and make invaluable connections. 

We here at SARA are incredibly excited to continue following these student-athletes as they develop and grow and the program as a whole as the men return to the water to prepare for the fall season. 

Prospective Student-athletes

Are you a rising high school senior or a Syracuse student who wants to be a part of Syracuse Rowing? Get the conversation started with the coaching staff and learn more about the walk-on process by following the links below. You never know how picking up an oar with the Orange may change your life whether it leads to Olympic Gold, life-long friendships, or increased confidence in your own potential. 

proud to be orange.

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2016 World Rowing Championships Results

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Four Orange rowers competed at the 2016 World Rowing Championships, which took place August 21st - August 28th in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. During the Olympic year, the Junior, U23, and Senior (non-Olympic) World Rowing Championships were combined into one massive regatta. Hattie Taylor, Mike Glaude, Nick Tavares, and Pieter Kerpestein competed in the U23 and Junior Championships, each representing a different country and racing different events. They are all returning and incoming athletes who have gained invaluable insight into the sport by racing at such an elite level. The race course at the World Championships covers the sprint distance of 2,000 meters, but in the fall season, the training will shift towards preparation for longer head race distances. With classes starting on the 29th, these four certainly had a quick turnaround and little time to rest before their opening assessments! The results were as follows: 

HATTIE TAYLOR

4th place | U23 W4- (great britain)

Rising senior Hattie Taylor sat in three seat of the GB crew that placed fourth in the A-Final of the Under 23 Women's straight Four, narrowly missing out on the medal stand with a time of 6:34.76. Her performance marked the best showing for Syracuse at the regatta. She and her teammates were in contention for the silver or the bronze with the Romanians and the Dutch, but in the end got inched out with overlapping hulls by a margin of less than 2 seconds on Romania and less than one second behind the Netherlands. The U.S. won the event with a convincing open water lead in a time of 6:27.28. Taylor also competed at U23 Worlds in 2015, earning a bronze medal in the Women's 8+. 

 

nick tavares

9th place | u23 M4+ (Canada)

Rising sophomore Nick Tavares sat in three seat of the Canadian crew that placed third in the B-Final of the Under 23 Men's Four with coxswain for a ninth place finish overall in a time of 6:18.99. The gold went to the crew from New Zealand who won the A-final in 6:08.50. Tavares can add yet another international race to his rowing resume, this time in a sweep event and as U-23. In 2014, he placed 18th in the Junior Men's Double and in 2015, he placed 7th in the Junior Men's Quad. 

 

mike glaude

15th place | u23 M2x (usa)

Rising junior Mike Glaude made his international rowing debut as the stroke of the American duo that placed third in the C-Final of the Under 23 Men's Double Sculls for a fifteenth place finish overall in a time of 6:45.60. 

 

pieter kerpestein

6th place | junior m8+ (netherlands)

Incoming freshman Pieter Kerpestein had the opportunity to race in his home country, sitting in the three seat of the Dutch crew that placed sixth in the A-Final of the Junior Men's Coxed Eight in a time of 5:59.59. Germany took home the gold, crossing the line in 5:38.58. This was Kerpestein's first appearance at the World Championships, but he already had some international racing experience under his belt after placing second in the JM8+ earlier in the year at the 2016 European Junior Rowing Championships in Lithuania. 

The Senior, Under 23 and Junior World Rowing Championships

congrats to all of the athletes who competed at worlds! who will represent in 2017?

proud to be orange.

Mastracci Demonstrates Grit and Gratitude in Rio

cuse.com article

row2k starting 5 interview

Natalie Mastracci '13 and the rest of her crew in the Canadian Women's coxed eight finished 5th in the A-Final at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on August 13th. It marked the second time that Mastracci had the opportunity to win a medal at the Olympic games, following her Silver medal finish in London 2012, also representing Canada in the Women's 8+.

preparing for rio

photocred: Row2K

photocred: Row2K

London Olympics | 2 August 2012 | GOLD: USA SILVER: CAN BRONZE: NED 

The Thorold, ON native first picked up an oar in 2007 and then made the move to the states to row for the Orange. As a student-athlete, Mastracci got a taste for international racing as a member of the Canadian U23 National team in 2008, 2009, and 2010. She then took two years off to train and compete with the Canadian National Team full-time, during which she competed in the World Rowing Championships among many other international regattas, and earned Silver at the London Olympic Games. Mastracci returned to Syracuse for the 2012-2013 seasons to complete her degree and race with the Orange Block S on her chest once more and then was back at it again with the Canadian National Team gearing up for Rio. 

racing in rio

After enjoying the excitement of the opening ceremonies, the schedule of racing for the Women's Eights began with two heats. The first place finisher in each heat would advance directly to the A-Final while the rest vied for the remaining four spots in the repechage. Canada placed third in it's heat behind Great Britain and New Zealand and had a chance for redemption in the reps where the women proved they deserved to be in the race for medal contention, winning by open water nearly 4.5 seconds ahead of second place Romania. 

The final, in order of Lane assignment from 1-6, included: the Netherlands, Romania, reigning Olympic Champion and record holder USA, Great Britain, Canada, and New Zealand. It was expected to be a close race and medals were up for grabs. Mastracci, sitting in seven-seat of the stern pair, and her teammates, many of whom had raced with her four years prior, dreamed again of holding their heads high on the podium with medals around their necks. And they knew it wouldn't be easy, and they knew it was going to take everything they had within them, so that's what they gave, pulling for each other every stroke down the 2,000 meter course. 

Off the start, the Canadians pressed for the lead. In an impressive demonstration of guts and fearlessness they stuck their bow ball out in front and kept it there for the first 1,000 meters with the rest of the pack chasing. (It was exhilarating to watch!) In the third 500, the favored Americans stole the lead, pushing the Canadians back to second. One can only imagine the emotion and pain the women experienced as they entered the final section of the race course. They had made an early statement and had to dig deep to hang on. Ultimately, the Canadians had drained the tank and didn't have a final surge in the final sprint to earn a medal in an extremely tight and elite feild. They crossed the line less than two seconds behind Bronze medalist Romania in a time of 6:06.04. Great Britain secured the Silver and the Americans reclaimed the Gold in a time of 6:01.49. 

photocred: World Rowing

photocred: World Rowing

“No matter what position you’re in on the race course, race with the intensity like you’re a length behind and the confidence like you’re a length in front. Be ferociously graceful and you’ll always go fast.”
— Natalie Mastracci '13

reflections on rio

It may not have been the medal podium result second-time Olympian Natalie Mastracci and her teammates had trained four years for, but her competitive spirit and enthusiastic attitude certainly led to a performance that fell nothing short of amazing. Following the A-Final race, Natalie bestowed these words of gratitude for the sport and the people who have blessed her journey: 

Thank you, Rowing.

Thank you so much for letting me see countless countries across 5 continents. For letting me test the limits of my strength and endurance. But most importantly, thank you Rowing for these incredible people you have shown me. People who dig into the depths of their hearts for those around them. People who bite and claw and scratch for every inch of propulsion. People who tirelessly show support, who push you to be better, who dream as big as they can and who... together you believe whole-heartedly without a doubt that absolutely anything is possible.

I've always said there's something a little wrong with everyone who rows (because you have to put yourself through so much for even the tiniest improvement)... but I think I've had it wrong. There is something so right with each and every one of us who rows. We become selfless for the dreams of our boat, and give everything for them.

To everyone I've ever rowed with: as silly as it is, I can honestly say I've loved you all. I hope you always felt me support you through the water. I can't thank you enough for letting me follow you and feel that magical run of the boat with you.

If you're considering rowing, jump right in both feet, eyes open, heart strong. It's so worth it.

Eloquent words of humility and unwavering grace and conviction as always from the one and only Natalie Mastracci, and all we can say on behalf of SARA is " Thank You Rowing, for sharing with us, incredible people like Natalie Mastracci". 

Keep doing what you do, Natalie! Because whether you are in a boat, on an erg, or simply just standing in one's presence beaming and gesticulating, you inspire more people than you know. Thank you for continuing to bring pride for Syracuse Rowing and your beloved Canada. We'll follow you wherever you go because you always take us on an unforgettable ride. And so, we have to ask: where are we going next? 

proud to be orange.

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Welcome to the Orange Family, Class of 2020!

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cuse.com article

Last week, head coach Justin Moore officially introduced the latest signing class to join the women's rowing program. With the start of a new semester just weeks away, a group of fourteen eager young women will set foot on campus to embark on their careers as SU student-athletes. The incoming class is expected to have a noteworthy impact on the team as the Orange come off of an overall 13th place team standing at the 2016 NCAA Championships and look to keep the momentum going during their 2017 campaign. To learn more about Coach Moore's impressions of the upcoming student-athletes click on the link to the cuse.com article above. 

 
 
 

The most recent additions to the women's rowing roster include:

Maddy Horridge
5-10; Brisbane, Australia/Somerville HS

Hailey Hudson
5-11; Exeter, N.H./Philips Exeter Academy

Caroline Kranz
5-10; Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day

Olivia Kylander
5-3; Philadelphia, Pa./Mount St. Joseph Academy

Lucy Pearce
6-2; Melbourne, Australia/Haileybury College

Liz Tarrant
6-1; Marion, Mass./Tabor Academy

Emily Spencer
5-10; Winchester, Mass./Dana Hall

Kate Aemissegger
5-11; Oreland, Pa./Germantown Academy

Maggie Block
5-7; Boxford, Mass./Masconomet Regional HS

Lilly Blouin
6-0; Montreal, Quebec/Tabor Academy

Sarah Crummey
5-7; Auckland, New Zealand/Glendowie College

Tara Eaton
5-1; Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga HS

Madison Falzon
6-3; Auburndale, Mass./St. Mark's School

Madeline Holzman-Klima
5-8; Edmonds, Wash./Holy Names Academy

“This group of 14 women has the potential to have a major impact on our team from the moment they step foot on campus. Averaging just under 5-11 as a group and combining national-championship level rowing with a tremendous amount of raw athleticism, we are very excited to help them develop throughout their careers at Syracuse. They are disciplined, gritty, dedicated to their academics, and committed to advancing our program into the national top 10.”
— Women's Rowing Head Coach Justin Moore

These women have chosen to bleed Orange and pursue excellence at a university with some of the highest ranked undergraduate programs in the nation as members as one of the up and coming names in the collegiate rowing field. The group is a collection of outstanding competitors who Moore believes embodies the traits of successful oarswomen. Aside from being one of the most physiologically capable recruited classes with the height, power, and racing results to prove it, these young women have already demonstrated leadership, raw athleticism, technical skill, maturity, fearlessness, emotional poise, energy, academic excellence, determination, and desire. These are the types of qualities it takes to shine both athletically and academically at Syracuse and will ultimately serve the women well beyond their collegiate experiences. The rowers hail from across the U.S. and abroad, representing the states of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Washington, and New Hampshire, and the countries of Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. The coaching staff continues to recruit the highest level of talent both nationally and internationally as they build a roster with the depth and strength to compete with the top collegiate programs in the country. 

We here at SARA are incredibly excited to continue following these student-athletes as they develop and grow and the program as a whole as the women return to campus to get back to their studies and training at the end of the month. 

prospective rowers / walk-ons

Are you a rising high school senior or a Syracuse student who wants to be a part of Syracuse Rowing? Get the conversation started with the coaching staff and learn more about the walk-on process by following the links below. You never know how picking up an oar with the Orange may change your life whether it leads to Olympic Gold, life-long friendships, or increased confidence in your own potential. 

PROUD TO BE ORANGE.

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Glaude, Tavares, and Taylor to Compete at U23 World Rowing Championships

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Three Orange rowers will compete at the U23 World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands at the end of the month representing three different countries. Mike Glaude will race the men's double (2X) for the United States, Nick Tavares will race the men's four with coxswain (4+) for Canada, and Hattie Taylor will race the women's four without coxswain (4-) for Great Britain. The athletes were named to their respective teams earlier in the summer and have been training to compete against the top athletes in the world age 22 or younger. The international regatta will take place from August 21st-28th and will simultaneously host the Junior, U23, and Senior (non-Olympic) events for the first time due to the Olympic year. 

Mike Glaude

M2X, USA

Glaude will make his international rowing debut as the stroke of the US U23 double with partner Mike Yaron. The duo automatically qualified for the national team by winning the final of the U23 double sculls during the Worlds Trials held on Lake Mercer, July 20th. They crossed the finish more than 7.5 seconds ahead of the second place crew to earn the opportunity to represent the U.S. The rising junior began his rowing career at Syracuse and in only a couple of years has developed into a strong athlete capable of competing on the international stage. The accomplishment is impressive as Glaude rowed in the third varsity eight throughout the spring season, rowing primarily in sweep boats. It will be exciting to see what he takes back with him from this invaluable experience. 

nick tavares

M4+, CAN

This won't be rising sophomore Tavares's first time racing at the international level, but it will be his first time competing as Under-23. The Ontario native has rowed for Canada at the World Rowing Junior Championships too. He competed in Hamburg, Germany in 2014 placing 18th in the junior men's double (2X) and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (to test out the Olympic course) in 2015 placing 7th in the junior men's quadruple sculls (4X). The elite racing experiences certainly seemed to help Tavares with the transition from scholastic to collegiate rowing. During his first year at Syracuse, Tavares was a mainstay in the top boat - the Varsity 8+, which had its most successful season since 2012. Along with fellow international Alex Douglas (AUS), he set the precedent of rowing in the top boat for the entire season as a freshman which had never been done before.

hattie taylor

W4-, GBR

Taylor has also competed at the international level before. Last year, she made her first appearance at the U23 World Rowing Championships where she and her crew raced to a bronze medal finish in the women's eight. Hattie has consistently been in the top Varsity eight at Syracuse since 2015. She played a critical role in helping the team have one of its most successful seasons in over a decade, including a 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships in the 1V8+. 

For more information on the U23 World Rowing Championships go to the World Rowing website:

proud to be orange.

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Student-Athlete: excelling on the water and in the classroom

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There were so many great athletic and academic accomplishments by SU student-athletes in 2016! Below are only a few of the examples of excellence, and there is certainly more in store for these talented and driven individuals. Syracuse Rowing produces not only tremendous athletes in our sport, but also inspiring young men and women with the power to be difference-makers in their communities and industries in both grand and intimate ways. 

Syracuse student-athletes shine in classroom

'Cuse ranks 11th in nacda directors' cup spring standings

women's rowing celebrates academic success

three 'cuse student-athletes earn acc postgraduate scholarships

nine orange earn crca accolades

fiztpatrick earns all-america accolades

seven rowers earn all-acc academic honors

eight earn 2016 ira all-academic honors

proud to be orange.

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Record-setting 2016 Endowment Campaign

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The 2016 SARA Endowment Campaign, which took place from April 1st - June 23rd, was a tremendous success, generating over $75,000! 

We well exceeded all of our 2016 goals, which is more than we could ever ask for. The 2016 campaign was certainly one for the record books that will be hard to beat with the following records set this year:

Total Amount Raised (during a single campaign): $75,016
Average Donation: just over $350
Contributions over $500: 50
Contributions over $1,000: 24
Number of contributing Alumni and Friends of Syracuse Rowing: 211
Participating Class Years: 59 (with 40 straight class years donating - 1977 through 2016)

This year's competition between the class eras was particularly intense. Once again, the class years of 1995-1999 prevailed as the winners with 35 contributors raising $16,631. Congrats to class captain Jason Premo '98 and his teammates for making it happen! 

2016 STANDINGS

2016 STATISTICS

THANK YOU!

As of June 30, 2016, the SARA Endowment has grown in value to over $450,000. Since its inception in 2010, over 400 people have contributed with 250 contributing more than once and over 100 people contributing $1,000 or more. Without the strong and continued support of our alumni and friends none of this would be possible. 

On behalf of the Syracuse Alumni Rowing Association and the SU Coaching Staff, we would like to THANK YOU for contributing to the 2016 SARA Men's Endowment Campaign, from our oldest participating alumnus, George Richards (class of 1948), to our youngest participating alumni, Tom Johnson and James Schiera (class of 2016). Your financial support ensures the long term continuation and competitiveness of Syracuse Men's Rowing. 

PROUD TO BE ORANGE.

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IRA 2016: All Orange Crews Place 15th

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cuse.com article

row2k coverage

The Orange capped off their 2016 campaign with a 15th place overall finish from all three crews at the IRA Championships. Each crew faced some of the strongest collegiate rowers in the nation. They faced many of the same teams from the cup races and Eastern Sprints, in addition to some west coast powerhouses like Washington and Cal. Overall, the Orange improved from last year's results, with their most successful season since a 5th place finish by the Varsity eight in 2012 and sees the progress as a step forward to keep pushing off of. 

Syracuse recorded a 17th place showing for the Ten Eyck Award (named after Syracuse's very own legend) which was presented to the 2016 National Champion: Cal. For the Chapman Award, which is determined by a team's improvement from the previous year, Syracuse tied for 5th. 

Due to an injury in the top boat, all of the line-ups shifted last-minute during the regatta, but the men adapted and continued to stay positive. They demonstrated the same resiliency and grit as they had during the cup races in some very tough, close races. The mentality was evident among all of the SU rowers regardless of which boat they were in. Ultimately the younger or less experienced athletes learned some valuable lessons to take away and got to do some good racing. Although qualification for the IRA Championship is at the individual boat level, it's clear that SU is in it for the collective success of the team, making sure that each boat makes it to the national championship. Together, they are gaining speed. 

1v8+

2V8+

3V8+

LINE-UPS

1V8
C – Santora, Reichard, McKenney, Douglas, Tavares, Messner, Dawson, Staprans, Schiera
 
2V8
C – Kollman, Walker, Leimeister, Kelley, Barni, Busco, Johnson, Conroy, Oster
 
3V8
C – Wagner, Will, Marks, Vanderberg, Hunt, Bauerfeld, Weitekamp, Glaude, Shober

next steps

“The build back up certainly has to do with amassing talent (recruiting) but also building the right fitness, technique, and racing mentality/instincts. We are going to have to do it step by step.”
— Head Coach Dave Reischman

All in all, the men's program had a successful 2016 season with many small wins for the program and a rise up in the rankings. They got on the right side in some close races and proved to themselves that they are making strides in the upward direction. It will take time to build back to where the team was in 2012, but step-by-step and stroke-by-stroke the men are putting in the work to get back there. And there never seems to be any question about the effort with these guys, so we're excited to see them maintain the enthusiasm and race even smarter. 

proud to be orange.

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NCAA 2016: Syracuse finishes 13th in the nation

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cuse.com article

ncaa.com

Syracuse claimed its place among the top 16 in the nation with an overall 13th place finish in the team standings at its first NCAA appearance since 2002. The Orange either matched or outperformed its seedings coming into the regatta to make a statement about the work that has been put in over the last six years under Head Coach Justin Moore's leadership to get there and where the program still has the potential and desire to go. The national championship boasts a field of some of the top programs in the country including 11 conference-winning automatic qualifiers and 11 at-large bids. The elite competition (in alphabetical order) included: Brown, California, Duke, Gonzaga, Indiana, Jacksonville, Michigan, Navy, Northeastern, Ohio State, Princeton, Rhode Island, Southern California, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin, UFC, Virginia, and Yale.  

The V8+ making its way down the course. 
“Our women went to NCAAs to compete, and demonstrated that we belong in the national conversation.”
— Head Coach Justin Moore

SUWR in SF! Headed up to Sacramento after an afternoon at the beach ☀️ #RoadtoNCAAs 📷: Alicea

A photo posted by Syracuse Women's Rowing (@surowing) on

TEAM STANDINGS

1) California 129
2) Ohio State 126
3) Virginia 112
4) Stanford 107
5) Washington 106
6) Brown 102
7) Princeton 100
8) Texas 98
9) Wisconsin 80
10) Michigan 75
11) Yale 70
12) Washington State 62
13) Syracuse 58
14) Southern California 55
15) Indiana 50
16) Gonzaga* 45
17) Duke* 45
18) Northeastern 35
19) Navy 21 
20) Central Florida 20
21) Rhode Island 16
22) Jacksonville 6


*Tiebreaker based on results place finish in 1V8+

Preceding the championship, seedings were assigned in each boat category based on their performances throughout the regular season and conference championships. The Varsity 4+ entered with the highest seed of 14 while both of the eights came in as the 16 seeds.

The regatta began with heats where the top two crews would advance directly to the A/B semi-final and the rest would battle for the remaining spots in the repechage in the evening. All three Syracuse crews placed fourth in their respective heats and proceeded to the reps. 

The top two finishers in each rep would fill out the A/B semi-final contenders and the remaining would default to the C/D semifinal. In perhaps the most challenging of the match-ups, the first varsity had an 'all or nothing' attitude against formidable opponents Washington, Yale, Duke, Northeastern, and Navy. The Orange walked through Duke who had beaten them by the slightest of margins (.o4 seconds) at the ACCs and then started to hunt down Yale while Washington led the pack. In undoubtedly their most gritty performance of the year, the women dug deep together and crossed the line in second with an open-water margin over Yale. They secured a spot in the A/B semi-final and could place no lower than 12th overall. Also up against tough competition in their reps, the 2V8+ took fourth and the V4+ took third place, racing well, but missing out on the higher level finals. 

In the C/D semi-finals, the 2V8+ came in second to secure a spot in the C final. The V4+ was the only crew to win a race during the three days of competition, leading their semi-final to also advance to the C final. In the 1V8+, the top three crews would advance to the A final, and finding this out of reach, the athletes strategically decided to conserve their energy for the B final, placing sixth in their semi. 

In the finals, the competition was intense. The V4+ again finished behind ACC rival Duke, earning 14th overall. The 2V8+ came in third behind Indiana and Duke to finish 15th overall, a place above their original seed. While the 1V8+ kept pace with the top crews, they again came in sixth, but only 1.2 seconds behind Michigan, a team that had been hovering around number 10 in the national polls. The priority crew bumped 4 spots from their initial ranking. 

Based on the weighted system and their competitors results across the boat classes, the calculations put Syracuse at 13th overall as a team. Later, in the final USRowing/CRCA Poll presented by Pocock Racing Shells, Syracuse achieved its highest final ranking since 2002 at number 13, comfortably within the top 16 and no longer on the bubble. 

 

1V8+

2V8+

V4+

1V8+

2V8+

3V8+

LINE-UPS

1V8
C - Vasiliou, Fitzpatrick, Lee, Tomeny, Taylor, McCann, Caldwell, McQuay, Johnson

2V8
C - Spraggins, Gill, Tobias, Konishesky, Ratcliff, Hughes, Richards, Adams, Allen

V4+
C - Menillo, Thornton, Jones, Warnecke, Dorner

 

Coach Kochis-Strodel guiding the next generation of Orange oarswomen back to the NCAA's greatest stage: the grand final. 

Coach Kochis-Strodel guiding the next generation of Orange oarswomen back to the NCAA's greatest stage: the grand final. 

The last time the Orange competed at the NCAAs was in 2002, where the Varsity 8+ placed 11th overall and the Second Varsity 8+ came in 12th overall. The previous year, in 2001, the Orange had its best finish at an NCAA regatta, placing 6th in the Varsity 8+ that qualified for the Grand Final (teams used to qualify individual boats, but now qualify as teams comprised of V8+, 2V8+, and V4+).  Assistant Coach Alicea Kochis-Strodel rowed 6-seat for the Orange in that crew, so she knows what it takes to compete at this level. In the NCAA's Rowing Championship 19-year history, the varsity eight has gone six times including the 2016 crew and the inaugural NCAA championships in 1997. 

 

full replay: di rowing ncaa finals

next steps

Coming off of an impressive showing at the NCAAs, the Orange are not complacent. With only 2 seniors in each boat, 18 athletes who competed will be returning to the team this fall. These women have tasted elite collegiate rowing and lined up with some of the strongest contenders in the sport. The goal is no longer to make an NCAA appearance. The goal is to be an NCAA staple team that returns every year, and not just as a top 16 team, but as a top 10 force to be reckoned with. It's been a long six years coming, but the work and the necessary shifts in the team culture have paid off. Yet there's still more hay to be put in the barn, so this summer the athletes may get a little vacation, but you can bet they will be training and racing to maintain fitness and set themselves up for the 2017 seasons. 

proud to be orange.

, ,

10th Place Finishes for All Crews at 2016 Sprints

, ,

cuse.com article

Row2k re-cap

No. 10 Syracuse placed 10th overall in the 1V, 2V, and 3V with fourth place finishes in each crew's respective Petite Finals. The Orange bettered their results from 2015 as they competed against many of the top collegiate crews in the country. Medaling in four out of five events, Princeton took home the Heavyweight Team Points Trophy. The 18 competing teams included: Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Boston University, Cornell, Navy, Northeastern, Dartmouth, Columbia, Penn, Wisconsin, Georgetown, George Washington, Rutgers, Holy Cross, and MIT. 

Can you spot the Syracuse blades? [photo credit: Igor Belakovskiy]

Can you spot the Syracuse blades? [photo credit: Igor Belakovskiy]

The First Varsity 8+ in the morning heats. [photo credit: Igor Belakovskiy]

The Varsity 8+ was seeded 8th coming into the regatta, but finished 10th overall with a fourth place finish in the Petite Final. Northeastern won the Petite Final with a time of 5:43.2. The Yale crew, coached by Syracuse Hall of Famer Steve Gladstone was the repeat champ in the event in 5:37.5, roughly 10.5 seconds ahead of the Orange's time of 5:47.0. 

The Second Varsity 8+ came in with the 11th seed and improved by one spot, also finishing fourth in the Petite Final for 10th place overall. Again, Northeastern won the Petite Final, but it was the Harvard crew who won the event in the Grand Final with a time of 5:48.7, just over 17.5 seconds ahead of the Orange's 6:06.3 result. 

Second Varsity 8+ in the morning heats. [photo credit: Igor Belakovskiy]

Third Varsity 8+ in the morning heats. [photo credit: Igor Belakovskiy]

The Third Varsity 8+ was seeded 9th and like the other Syracuse crews, ended up 10th overall with a fourth place finish in the Petite Final. Princeton won the event with a time of 5:53.5, while Yale won the Petite Final in 5:58.3 over the Orange's 6:05.3 result. 

Varsity launching for 924am race time #OrangeNation #believeinORANGE #Sprints2016

A photo posted by Syracuse Univ. Men's Rowing (@cuse_mrowing) on

2v launching for 1024 heat time #OrangeNation #believeinORANGE #Sprints2016

A photo posted by Syracuse Univ. Men's Rowing (@cuse_mrowing) on

3v has launched, race time is 9am #OrangeNation #believeinORANGE #Sprints2016

A photo posted by Syracuse Univ. Men's Rowing (@cuse_mrowing) on

LINE-UPS
1V
C – Santora, Reichard, Dawson, Staprans, McKenney, Messner, Schiera, Douglas, Tavares
2V
C – Kollman, Walker, Leimeister, Barni, Kelley, Johnson, Busco, Oster, Conroy
3V
C – Wagner, Marks, Vanderberg, Weitekamp, Will, Hunt, Bauerfield, Shober, Glaude

NEXT STEPS
The competitors for the IRA Championship will be announced later this week. Based on the season's results and the crews' performances at Sprints, the team is confident that all three crews will be able to earn a spot. The IRAs will be held in West Windsor, NJ the weekend of June 3-5, giving the Orange just under three weeks to prepare.  

proud to be orange.

, ,

Senior Send-off: Congrats Class of 2016!

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Both the men and the women had championship racing during commencement, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't celebrate all of the amazing accomplishments of our graduating seniors (and soon to be new SARA members). 

Reach out to the newest Syracuse Rowing Alumni/ae in your area or professional field. Let's stay connected and continue to contribute to the greatness and the legacy that is Syracuse Rowing as our network grows! 

men's team

Introducing the Cuse men's rowing class of 2016. Great things lie ahead for these 9! #OrangeNation #OrangeFamily

A photo posted by Syracuse Univ. Men's Rowing (@cuse_mrowing) on

women's team

Made it back for the seniors' graduation in the Carrier Dome! Congratulations to the #SUWR Class of 2016🎓🎉

A photo posted by Syracuse Women's Rowing (@surowing) on

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Orange Women Tie for Second at ACC Championships

, ,

cuse.com article

theacc.com article

In the team standings of the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, No. 16 Syracuse shared runner-up accolades with No. 19 Duke, marking their best overall finish since joining the league in 2014. Once again, No. 5 UVA swept the competition to earn the conference title for the sixteenth time in seventeen years. Former Big East dominator and rival No. 15 Notre Dame rounded out the team medal podium in third place.  The rest of the field included: Louisville, Clemson,  Boston College, Miami, and North Carolina.

The Virginia Cavaliers convincingly defended the conference title with victories in all five events. [photo credit: ACC Rowing]

The Virginia Cavaliers convincingly defended the conference title with victories in all five events. [photo credit: ACC Rowing]

TEAM STANDINGS
1 Virginia (99 points)
2 Duke (75 points) 
2 Syracuse (75 points) 
3 Notre Dame (68 points)
4 Louisville (60 points)
5 Clemson (47 points) 
6 Boston College (31 points)
7 Miami (22 points) 
8 North Carolina (16 points)

“When Syracuse, Louisville, and Notre Dame joined the league, we knew we were really strengthening the rowing programs. In the third year, we have seen a clear change of speed in the field. I think it is possible moving forward to put three, four, or even five teams into the NCAA Championship.”
— Head Coach Justin Moore

The Cavaliers claimed their 7th straight conference title, bringing the total tally up to 16 championship wins out of the 17 years the regatta has existed. For the forth year in a row they have won all five boat categories. In fact they have won an outstanding 59 out of 65 events ever raced in the ACC. UVA's Varistiy 8+ crew was also named ACC Crew of the Year. Virginia remains undefeated in every respect and their victory granted them an automatic entry at the NCAA Championships. However, other teams have been closing the gap and the conference is becoming one of the strongest in the nation as a result. Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Louisville joined the field as the previous top performing teams in the Big East and Duke has clearly gained some speed in the last year as well. 

Duke, despite the disadvantage of not being able to field a second varsity four and having been expected to place middle of the field based on seedings, shocked everyone with impressive and suspenseful second place finishes in each of the NCAA events (1V8, 2V8, and 1V4). The new head coach of the No. 19 Blue Devils, Megan Cooke Carcagno, was appropriately named ACC Coach of the year. This is the first year since 2004 that Duke has been nationally ranked and based on their performance this weekend, there is a strong argument for them to move up that list. There is a fair chance they may be snagging an NCAA bid as well. 

Lake Hartwell has served as an amazing venue for the ACC Championships for 14 years. Thanks to Clemson University and the ACC for organizing the regatta to make it a pleasure for athletes and spectators alike! Conditions on Lake Hartwell during the Saturday morning heats were impeccable - flat water, calm wind, plenty of sunshine, and temperatures in the low 70s. In anticipation of forecasted winds, the finals schedule was adjusted/reversed to start off Saturday morning finals with the Varsity 8+s and end with the 3V8+s. 

In Syracuse's first race of the day, the Varsity 8+, it was a nail-biting photo finish for second place that was determined by hundredths of a second. UVA maintained the lead, crossing with open water about 5.5 seconds ahead, while Duke and Syracuse battled it out in the final 500m for the runner-up prize. Starting a few seats down on the Blue Devils, the Orange made a powerful surge to close the margin, fighting for each inch in the final sprint to get their bow ball in front. Despite the tremendous effort, Duke finished in 6:20.444, a mere .041 seconds ahead of Syracuse's time of 6:20.485. Although the Orange placed third, there were two positive outcomes. First, Syracuse finally got on the other side of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish, who also transitioned to the ACC in 2014 with the collapse of the Big East Conference, had defeated Syracuse in the championship regatta for over a decade. They were the dominating victors of the Big East for 10 years straight despite some close finishes with the Orange in 2012 and 2013, a trend that continued in 2014 and 2015. This year, Syracuse beat Notre Dame by just over a length. (Across the board, Syracuse edged out Notre Dame in every event except the second varsity eight.) Second, the Orange continued to close the margin on UVA. Previously, the Orange were finishing about 10 seconds back, but on Saturday they reduced that margin nearly in half to 5.5 seconds. 
In the grand final of the 2V8+, there was another photo finish for second between Duke and Notre Dame, but Syracuse was not in that battle, placing fourth. They crossed the finish about 5 seconds behind those two crews and 12 seconds back of winner Virginia. 
The Varsity 4+ final included a tight race for second place with Duke, Syracuse, and Notre Dame overlapping shells as they crossed the finish 6-7seconds back of winner Virginia. Within the span of a second, Duke prevailed to take second in a time of 6:20.1, a margin of .6 seconds over 'Cuse, who had a margin of .4 seconds of Notre Dame. 
The last races of the day were the non-NCAA boats, the 2V4+ and the 3V8+. However, these crews' performances were what allowed Syracuse to earn the team points to share the runner-up award as Duke edged out Syracuse in the V8+ , 2V8+, and V4+, but did not have the same level of depth to compete in the other events. The 2V4+ posted the best Orange result of the day, with a second place finish behind UVA, while the 3V8+ finished third behind Virginia and Louisville respectively. 

V8+

2V8+

1V4+

Special thanks to Marlis Humphrey for capturing these incredible images of all crews at the start! 

 

2V4+

3V8+

LINE-UPS

1V8
C – Vasiliou, McCann, Lee, Fitzpatrick, Caldwell, Tomeny, Taylor, McQuay, Johnson
2V8
C – Spraggins, Gill, Allen, Konishesky, Tobias, Hughes, Ratcliff, Adams, Richard
14V+
C – Menillo, Thornton, Jones, Warnecke, Dorner
2V4+
C – Rodriguez, Humphrey, Habjan, Hemida, McDonald
3V8
C – Litovsky, Moller, Torcivia, Preston, Andolfatto, Ezeamama, Puro, Bengis, Rodgers

ACC ACCOLADES

2016 ACC Rowing Crew of the Year: UVA Varsity 8+
2016 ACC Rowing Freshman/Rookie of the Year: Heidi Long (UVA)
2016 ACC Rowing Coach of the Year: Megan Cooke Carcagno (Duke)

2016 All-ACC Rowing Teams

Deirdre Fitzpatrick

Deirdre Fitzpatrick

Kari Tomeny

Kari Tomeny

First Team
Coxswain—Colette Lucas-Conwell, Virginia
Jennifer Reid, Virginia
Tessa Dikkers, Virginia
Sam Casto, Virginia
Alex Stonehill, Duke
Katie Duckovich, Duke
Deidre Fitzpatrick, Syracuse
Joanna Mulvey, Notre Dame
Kristie Harrison, Louisville

Second Team
Coxswain—Simone Pitre, Duke
Mackenzi Sherman, Virginia
Kari Tomeny, Syracuse
Hilary Shinnick, Notre Dame
Katie Nord, Louisville
Paula Wesselman, Clemson
Catherine Goldberg, Boston College
Chelsea Gustafson, North Carolina
Ally White, Miami

2015 was a record setting year for @UVARowing at #ACCROW. What records will fall this year? pic.twitter.com/BQiloobnsw

— ACC Rowing (@ACCRowing) May 13, 2016

NEXT STEPS
There may not have been any record-setting results this year, but overall the Orange had a strong showing at the ACCs and posted fast times on the course that are on par with elite collegiate crews. After a successful season demonstrating increased speed and team depth, the Orange anxiously await the announcement of selections for the NCAA Championships. The NCAA DI Rowing Selection Show will air Tuesday, May 17 at 5:00 pm ET on NCAA.com. The eleven conference champions will earn automatic bids and the remaining eleven spots in the 22-team field will be filled by at-large bids. For the last three years, Syracuse has just missed out on an NCAA appearance, being highly considered, but not selected. Every training session, every seat race, and every competition has been executed in the hopes of accomplishing the ultimate goal of making it the the national championship to race against the best crews in the country. If the Orange make the cut, they will race at the NCAA DI Rowing Championships, May 27-29, in Gold River California. 

proud to be orange.

, ,

Syracuse Takes Home the Packard Cup

, ,

cuse.com article

The No. 11 Syracuse's varsity 8+ pulled through with the sole Orange victory of the day, securing the Packard Cup against No. 10 Dartmouth. In the dual races, Dartmouth won the 2V8 and the 3V8, but Syracuse took home the trophy by winning the 1V8 in the closest race of the day. 

Photo from the 1000, going be fast conditions today #OrangeNation #believeinORANGE

A photo posted by Syracuse Univ. Men's Rowing (@cuse_mrowing) on

A strong current and slight tailwind made for fast conditions on the Connecticut River in Hanover, New Hampshire. It was a great day for some intense racing! The Packard Cup has been contested between Syracuse and Dartmouth since 1960, and Syracuse has claimed it 28 times since its inception. Special thanks to the coaches, our camera man Assistant Coach Justin Stangel, SARA race broadcast coordinator Colin Goodale '90, and our commentators Tyson Bry '10 and Noah Chase '08 for providing the live video and audio. Being able to watch this level of racing and to cheer on the Orange, whether at home, on the go, or from the shorelines with a stroke-by-stoke report was awesome! 

Last year, the Big Green made a clean sweep and after the first two races it appeared they might be able to do it again. The last time Syracuse claimed the Packard Cup was in 2012 while Dartmouth had claimed it the past three years and was looking for a fourth consecutive win. In the first race of the morning, Dartmouth's third varsity crossed the line about five seconds ahead of Syracuse. It was a similar result in the second varsity race, where Syracuse made an aggressive surge in the sprint, but it wasn't enough to overtake Dartmouth who finished in front with a slightly lesser margin of about four seconds, or just over a length. 

The varsity eight race was a suspenseful nail-biter that came down to the final strokes. Off the line in the first 500m the crews started out relatively even. When Dartmouth shifted to a powerful rhythm they took a couple of seats, but Syracuse responded to match the pace and started to push back. In the middle 1000m, the Orange were on the move. Coming through the 1000m buoy, it was back and forth, bow ball to bow ball. Once again, Dartmouth gained a few seats with a strong move, but the Orange responded to start taking the seats back. Coming into the last 500m, the Big Green out-stroked the Orange 37.5spm to 36spm and it was a tight race. Syracuse knew it was going to take some guts to secure the win so they shifted up a couple of beats to begin an early sprint before the final 250m. The Orange continued to make a move bumping the rate to 39, then 40spm, while Dartmouth still held 37spm. With 150m to go, the Orange had taken the lead and picked up the rate again to 42spm in the final sprint. Dartmouth couldn't respond and in the closest finish of the day, Syracuse crossed the line less than a full deck up. The official times were Cuse - 5:40.0 and Dartmouth - 5:40.2. And with that, the Orange took home the Packard Cup for the first time in four years. 

“It’s a group of guys that has the ability to focus in on the plan. Going in, the plan was to focus on us and keep our heads down and race really hard. We have a lot of respect for those Dartmouth guys. It was a pretty tall order to beat them. I thought we put our heads in our boat and focused on going as fast as we could.”
— Coach Dave Reischman

LINE-UPS
1V
C – Santora, Reichard, Dawson, Staprans, McKenney, Messner, Schiera, Douglas, Tavares
2V
C – Kollman, Oster, Conroy, Barni, Leimeister, Walker, Kelley, Johnson, Busco
3V
C – Wagner, Marks, Vanderberg, Weitekamp, Graves, Hunt, Eisenberg, Shober, Bauerfeld

next steps

Once again, the varsity eight demonstrated some serious grit and aggression on the race course. They have been consistently improving and their desire to be in the fight and push through has been a common thread throughout the regular season. It was a thrilling close to the regular season and now the team has three weeks to prepare for the Eastern Sprints on May 15th in Worcester, MA. They are looking to keep building speed in an effort to realize their full potential during what will appear to be some very competitive racing given the close results among EARC crews this season. 

proud to be orange.

,

Orange Women Finish Regular Season on a Good Note

,

cuse.com article

The No. 16 Syracuse women completed their regular season with solid performances against No. 3 Ohio State and Michigan State. Ohio State won all races, with the exception of the third varsity eight, which went to Syracuse. All other Orange crews placed behind Ohio State and ahead of Michigan State. 

“What color was the blood?!
ORANGE!!”

This marked the second year the Orange has traveled out to the Midwest to compete against some of the biggest names in Division I Rowing. Ohio State has a tremendous reputation for speed and depth, as the defending three-time NCAA Champion since 2013. If you can hang with them, you can hang with any of the top collegiate crews in the country. Last year, the University of Michigan also attended. The Orange also faced both Ohio State and Michigan State at the Clemson Invitational last weekend down in Clemson, SC. It was an incredibly quick turnaround for the student-athletes. The women raced three times in Clemson, returning back to Syracuse after midnight on Monday, with only a few days of recovery and training before having to load up the trailer again on Thursday. It was certainly challenging, but the women rose to the occasion. 

“It’s a lot to ask of the women on our team. They did a phenomenal job. They did a great job of increasing their level of racing.”
— Coach Justin Moore

3V8+ [photo credit: Dawson Powers]

The best performance of the day came from the 3V8+, who recorded an open-water winning time of 6:42.0, nearly seven seconds ahead of second-place Michigan State. Ultimately, the team is striving to narrow the margins and beat teams like Ohio State, such as ACC foe UVA, in the upper boat classes as well. However, the victory was an indication that it can be done and will be sure to give the athletes a boost of confidence. Another positive outcome of the weekend was the 1V8+'s ability to lessen the gap with Ohio State. Having posted times nine or more seconds slower than Ohio last weekend, the crew was only 6.3 seconds off the mark this week, showing improvement in their speed. 

LINE-UPS
1V8
C – Vasiliou, McCann, Lee, Fitzpatrick, Caldwell, McQuay, Taylor, Tomeny, Johnson
2V8
C – Spraggins, Tobias, Konishesky, Ratcliff, Dorner, Warnecke, Hughes, Allen, Adams
14V+
C – Menillo, Gill, Hemida, Habjan, Richards
24V+
C – Rodriguez, Thornton, Jones, McDonald, Humphrey
3V8
C – Litovsky, Moller, Torcivia, Preston, Andolfatto, Ezeamama, Puro, Bengis, Rodgers

 

next steps

As the championship season approaches, it will be exciting to see the Orange race as they continue to gain speed. Without a doubt, the women will be continuing to balance their academic excellence at the end of the semester, however, that certainly will not distract them from focusing on the ultimate task at hand - earning a spot at the National Championship. The Orange have three weeks to prepare for the ACC Championships, again back on Lake Hartwell. Their finishes there will determine whether or not they get the NCAA bid they have been chasing for three years. 

proud to be orange.

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BU Retains Conlan Cup, Syracuse Sweeps Columbia

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cuse.com article

conlan cup photo gallery

No. 7 Boston University swept the competition to defend the Conlan Cup, while No. 11 Syracuse continued to make strides as they fought hard down the course to defeat No. 18 Columbia in all races. Similar to the results of last week's races in Annapolis, Syracuse placed second in all three boats, showing consistency in their results and progress throughout the season. The finishing order of each race was: BU, Syracuse, Columbia. 

The Varsity 8+ in the fight for the Conlan Cup [photo credit Ray Stubblebine]

The Varsity 8+ in the fight for the Conlan Cup [photo credit Ray Stubblebine]

The Terriers took home the Conlan Cup for the fourth consecutive year. The cup has been contested between BU, Syracuse, and Columbia since 2001, named in honor of the 'father of Boston University Rowing' Jim Conlan, who put together a boat with some classmates in 1937 which gained varsity status from the university in 1939. Of the sixteen years the race has been held, the record now stands with eight wins each for BU and Syracuse. However, Syracuse and Boston University have been racing each other for over 75 years since 1940, and this race happened to mark the 50th match-up for the two programs. Special thanks to Columbia for hosting and to BU for providing live video and commentary. 

1V8+

2V8+

3V8+

[photos courtesy of Ray Stubblebine]

After attending to an equipment issue at the start, the varsity eight had one of its best performances off the line, sticking its bow ball in front of the powerful BU crew. By the second 500m, the Terriers had overtaken the lead from the Orange by 3 seats and Columbia was falling off the pace, a length back of the leaders. However, the Orange never gave in, pushing hard through the toughest part of the race, the third 500m, and hanging on to remain in contact with the stern of BU through the finish. Syracuse crossed the line 2.6 seconds back of BU and 14.6 seconds ahead of Columbia with a considerable margin of open water. 
The second varsity race was the closest of the day. Although the Orange held the lead over the Lions from the first 500m, they had to respond to a strong surge from the Lions in the final strokes, winning by a slight margin of less than half a second. The crew may have used a lot of their energy in the first 1,000m, but again, they continued to fight for each inch until the race was over. 
The third varsity established an effective rhythm and maintained their second-place position in the field over the length of the course. They finished roughly four seconds back of the Terriers and 10 seconds ahead of the Lions to start off the morning of racing on a high note. 

“I think all three of our crews raced pretty hard. ”
— Coach Dave Reischman

LINE-UPS
1V
C – Santora, Reichard, Dawson, Staprans, McKenney, Messner, Schiera, Douglas, Tavares
2V
C – Kollman, Oster, Conroy, Barni, Leimeister, Walker, Kelley, Johnson, Busco
3V
C – Wagner, Marks, Vanderberg, Weitekamp, Graves, Hunt, Eisenberg, Shober, Bauerfeld

next steps

This was the first of two cup races for Syracuse this weekend. The Orange head up to New Hampshire to battle for the Packard Cup against Dartmouth tomorrow morning where they intend to keep the momentum going. It will make for a busy weekend, which will certainly test the student-athletes, but will also prepare them for the intensity of the championship racing coming up as the regular season nears a close. 

proud to be orange.

Captain James Schiera presents the Conlan Cup to Boston University. [photo credit: Ray Stubblebine]

Captain James Schiera presents the Conlan Cup to Boston University. [photo credit: Ray Stubblebine]