WEST WINDSOR, NJ (May 31, 2024) – The Jumbo Men's Rowing first varsity eight qualified for the Grand Final in the first heat at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships on Mercer Lake Friday.
The Jumbos went up against Wesleyan University – the #1 1V8 in Division III – as well as Bates and Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). Tufts led the race at the 500-, 1000- and 1500-meter checkpoints, but Wesleyan pulled away for the win over the final 500 meters. The Cardinals' winning time was 5:54.597 to a 5:57.024 mark by Tufts.
Tufts' 1V8 had coxswain
Aidan Keusch,
Peter Conard,
Maxwell Rosenberger,
Liam Jenkins,
Max Landers,
Patrick Moran,
Max Nusbaum,
John Griffin and
Peter McCormick.
Bates College, third in the heat with a 6:06.487 time, joins Tufts and Wesleyan in the Grand Final as the three qualifiers out of this heat. MSOE will race in tomorrow's Petite Final.
From today's second heat, Williams College, Trinity College and Coast Guard all advanced to the Grand Final. Ithaca will row in the Petite Final.
The DIII Grand Final, which will determine the 2024 National Champion, will go off at 12:10 PM Eastern Time.
The Jumbos second varsity competed in a race for lanes on Friday. Tufts was second in the race with a 6:07.415 time and will row in Lane 3 in tomorrow's second varsity Grand Final at Noon. Bates, Trinity, Williams, Wesleyan and Ithaca will also be in the 2V8 Grand Final.
Tufts' 2V8 line-up is coxswain
Jamie Forman,
Nick Kuranda,
JT Machle,
Mark Machle,
Gonzalo Escajadillo,
Xander Mesires,
Ryan Hankins,
Corbin Steck and
Miles Smith.
A DIII national champion will be decided by the winner of the varsity eight race, to be presented the Caldwell Cup named in honor of former Director of Rowing at Tufts and current IRA Commissioner Gary Caldwell. There is a separate team championship determined by the combined first and second varsity results.
Coached by
George Munger, the 2024 Tufts men's rowing team earned an at-large berth into the IRA's. It was Tufts' third year in a row at the IRA's.
--JUMBOS--