LAKE MERCER, NJ - This year, a new championship format awaited the Iona College men's rowing squad at the 2014 MAAC Championships. Different from prior championships, standings were based on points earned over three events: varsity eight, 2nd varsity eight, and varsity four rather than a much broader range of events. A full team effort is required due to the prohibition of athletes doubling or even tripling up events.
The day started rough with the varsity four finishing last in its final by a wide margin.
"Our team is not deep with varsity level talent", said men's coach John Boyd. "So right away we were asking a lot from four walk-on freshmen in a varsity championship race."
The Iona 2nd varsity eight of senior Ernest Stinebrickner, junior Nicholas Adams, freshman Matt Sullivan, junior Thomas Baik, freshman Sean Dolan, sophomore Brian Fairfield, freshman Bradley Holmes, freshman Connor Galvin and junior coxswain Michael McGannon found themselves on the wrong end of a competitive fight for a bronze medal finishing four seats behind Fairfield. Earlier this month Iona finished 24 seconds behind Fairfield in this event so all their hard work this season nearly closed the entire gap.
In the final championship event, the varsity eight, the Maroon and Gold flexed some muscle in the second half of the 2000 meter race to climb into bronze medal position behind Marist and Jacksonville down from fifth place. With the points weighted heavier in the varsity eight the Gaels were able to secure third overall. The lineup included senior Rich Buchheit, junior Ryan Harding, freshman Andrew Carley, senior Christopher Palma, sophomore Ryan Dronzek, senior Evan Johnson, sophomore Thomas McNulty, freshman Camden Chiasson and coxswain Monica Jesby.
"We were sitting behind Fairfield and Canisius about 800m into the race," said Boyd. "Our guys didn't panic because they knew their big move was coming."
"It boils down to trust in your teammates. We struggled against Fairfield dating back to last November having dropped four of five head to head races against them but I always believed that they could beat them when it mattered most, at the MAAC Championships, and I'm incredibly proud of them and their performance."
After the three championship races the Gaels raced for medals in two exhibition races: the novice four and open four. The novices won a silver medal behind Marist and ahead of Fairfield and Manhattan marking the fourth time this season that this crew finished second or better. With two open fours entered, it was the lightweight combination that walked away with a silver medal behind Marist and in front of a pair of Jacksonville crews and Iona's heavyweight counterparts.
Iona resumes training this week for their final competition of the season, the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia on May 9 and 10.
