Lightweight Crew: National Champions!
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SPIRIT!SUMMER ‘14 LIGHTWEIGHT CREW: NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHT CREW SPRING RECAP Lightweight Rowers Post Finest Season in 22 Years Other Highlights • The team captured its fifth national (IRA) championship, and first since 2008 Four members of the crew were invited to United States National Rowing Team Under-23 Selection • Went undefeated during the dual season for the 11th time and Camp …The Red won its 20th Matthews Cup by first since 1992 beating the Penn varsity eight, and captured the • Ranked No. 1, the lights first varsity won the Ivy Cup (its ninth) Leonard Cup by sweeping all four races. On the and the Joseph Wright Trophy (10th) by winning the varsity eight same day, Cornell defeated the Harvard varsity race at the EARC Sprints. eight for the first time since 2008. Later at the IRAs, the Red edged the Crimson by .54 of a • With its top-three finish in the varsity eight (1st), second varsity second in the varsity eight race…At Princeton, eight (3rd) and first freshman eight (bronze), the Big Red also took home the Jope Cup for the fifth time. the lightweights won the Platt and Harriett Cups, losing only the second varsity eight race…The • Dual season team sweeps of Yale, Dartmouth, Penn and MIT. Geiger Cup went to the Big Red via wins over Columbia and MIT in the varsity eight race…A • Chris Kerber was named the IRA Coach of the Year and the sweep of Dartmouth gave the lights their third varsity eight was named IRA Crew of the Year. consecutive Baggaley Bowl. Absolute Champions by Assistant Coach Matt Rung or men’s lightweight crew, all the The tone of the squad at the IRA attacks from the competing crews, and then preparation and hard work of the Championship was very different from the take command in the middle 1,000 meters. entire rowing season comes down tone at the Sprints. Everyone had witnessed At 750 meters into the race, the guys hit the to two regattas: The Eastern Sprints the Cornell varsity’s speed at the Eastern gas and never let go. They claimed seat, after FChampionship and the IRA National Sprints and had been given two weeks to seat, after seat on the field. With 500 meters Championship Regatta. The Eastern Sprints search for a way to match or outpace the left, Cornell had built an entire length lead is an emotional roller coaster. It is the race Big Red. For Cornell, it meant taking on the field. Coming toward the finish line, where the entire dual racing season can be “championship speed” and making it faster. Harvard put on a massive burst in a desperate completely redefined in one race down the On Sunday, the crew’s racing was all attempt to steal the win, but the Big Red did 2,000-meter distance. business. In the heats, competitors from not flinch. In the final 50 meters, Cornell When the Big Red lights won the Sprints Princeton, Columbia, and Navy threw a charged back and reclaimed the lead, crossing in May and captured the team points trophy, laundry list of race tactics and magic tricks the line just moments later. it defined the face of the 2014 Cornell at the Big Red lights, trying to shake their It was proof: a perfect dual season, an lightweight crew; the Big Red was for confidence. None of it worked; the crew was Eastern Sprints Championship, the EARC real. At the IRA Regatta, the results of the cool, calm, and unwavering, winning its heat Jope Cup points trophy and an IRA National Sprints are put to the test. If you are truly by a strong margin and claiming the fastest Title. The members of the Lightweight the champions, you have to do it again. The time of the day. Men’s Eight from Cornell were absolute Sprints suggests who the best is; the IRA Going into the final, the game plan was champions, and the BMA (Best Men Afloat)! proves it. simple: use power and grit to endure initial CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHT CREW WEBSITE 2 SPIRIT! MAGAZINE SHOP NOW FOR YOUR CORNELL ATHLETICS APPAREL. WOMEN’S CREW SPRING RECAP • The women won first varsity eight races against Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Penn and Dartmouth. Rowers Finish Seventh • The first varsity eight earned non-conference victories over Louisville, Michigan State, Duke, Miami, Iowa, at Ivy Championship Oklahoma, Clemson and Central Florida. • Junior Kate Roach set new school records for the 5K and 2K. Roach was named a Mid-Atlantic Region first- team selection, duplicating the honor she also received Other in 2013. Roach was also named a CRCA Second Highlights Team All-American. Co-captain Lily Eisermann was accorded CLICK HERE Mid-Atlantic Region second-team honors… TO VISIT THE Kelly Albanir was named a CRCA National WOMEN’S CREW Scholar-Athlete. To earn this honor, a WEBSITE student-athlete must hold a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 and race in at least 75 percent of her institution’s NCAA eligible boats…Assistant Coach Liz Dennison, a five-year member of the Big Red women’s rowing program, was named Associate Head Coach. “This was a well-deserved promotion for an outstanding coach,” said Head Coach Hilary Gehman. Dennison was the 2011 EAWRC Co- Assistant Coach of the Year. MEN’S HEAVYWEIGHT CREW SPRING RECAP • The varsity eight tallied wins over Navy and Syracuse on the Cayuga Inlet to capture this year’s Rowers Win Goes Cup Goes Cup. for First Time Since 2010 • A young varsity crew ended 8th in the country and made the Grand Finals at the Eastern Sprints for the first time in five years. • The 3V boat won the petite final at the IRA Championships. • The team earned fifth place at the Eastern Sprints with the freshman boat capturing the bronze. • All three varsity boats beat their seed at the IRA Regatta, and the freshman eight placed sixth in the Grand Finals. CLICK HERE Other Highlights TO VISIT THE MEN’S The Big Red also won the Stagg Points Trophy when the HEAVYWEIGHT CREW first freshman eight bested Navy and Syracuse on the WEBSITE Cayuga Inlet…With a sweep of Penn, Cornell captured both the Madeira Cup and the James Wray Memorial Trophy for the seventh straight season. The streak is the longest in the series for Cornell, and matches the second-longest winning streak by Penn (1995-2001). SHOP NOW FOR YOUR CORNELL ATHLETICS APPAREL. VISIT CORNELLBIGRED.COM SPIRIT! MAGAZINE 3 MEN’S LACROSSE SPRING RECAP • The Big Red captured its 12th Ivy League Laxers Win 12th Ivy championship in the last 13 years. • The team advanced to the NCAA tournament, where Title in Last 13 Years it fell to Maryland, 8-7. The Terps notched the winning goal with just two seconds remaining on the clock. • Junior midfielder Connor Buczek garnered first team All-America honors and was named Ivy League Player of the Year. Junior attackman Matt Donovan, senior defenseman Tom Freshour, junior attackman Dan Lintner, and junior defenseman Jordan Stevens were all accorded All-America honorable mention. • Freshman goalie Christian Knight was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, and earned Rookie of the Week five times during the season. This tied the Ivy League record for the number of Rookie of the Week nods in a season, held by Cornell junior captain Matt Donovan. CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE MEN’S LACROSSE WEBSITE Other Highlights Donovan, Freshour and Stevens joined Buczek on the All-Ivy first team. Named to the second team were Lintner and junior middie John Hogan. Knight earned honorable mention honors…When the team was 9-0 in April, it was the last remaining undefeated squad in the country…This summer at the World Lacrosse Championships in Denver, the Big Red will be well represented…Team USA’s roster includes Rob Pannell ’13, Max Seibald ’09 and Mitch Belisle ’07… Brennan Donville ’16, Jason Noble ’13 and Jesse Gamble ’11 join Team Canada… Sten Jernudd ’14 will play for Team Sweden and Associate Head Coach Peter Milliman will direct Team Russia. 4 SPIRIT! MAGAZINE SHOP NOW FOR YOUR CORNELL ATHLETICS APPAREL. Kerwick Named Head Coach of Cornell Men’s Lacrosse att Kerwick has been named the Richard M. Ned Harkness won 22 straight. Moran Head Coach of Men’s Lacrosse at Cornell The 2014 team finished the University. Kerwick, who served in the position on year with an 11-5 record Man interim basis during the 2014 season, becomes the 11th overall and a mark of 5-1 in head coach in the program’s 122-year history. the Ivy League. The team won “I am excited that Matt Kerwick has accepted our offer the Ivy League title and earned to become the Richard M. Moran Head Coach of Men’s an at-large bid to the NCAA Lacrosse,” said Andy Noel, the Meakem*Smith Director of tournament, where it fell to Athletics and Physical Education. “His performance over national semifinalist Maryland the past two years has been exemplary and I could not be on a goal scored with two more pleased that he has the opportunity to continue the seconds to play in the contest. progress he has made with our program. I am keenly aware Prior to his stint as that Matt has the enthusiastic support of our team, staff, interim head coach, Kerwick administration and our loyal alumni. Like them, I am most was named an assistant coach for the Big Red for the 2013 excited for the future of the program with Coach Kerwick at season.