United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Men's Crew

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(4/7/07)--The US Coast Guard Academy men's rowing team hosted their first home race of the season Saturday with improved performances under perfect conditions on the Thames.

The day started with the Bear's Varsity eight competing against NESCAC rival Trinity College (ranked #1 in New England) for the Emerson Cup, named for Fred Emerson of Old Lyme who was instrumental in the formation and funding of both of the programs. Off the line, Trinity pushed out to a two seat advantage and extended this in very workman-like fashion as the race progressed. The Bears maintained a stronger rhythm then they showed last weekend but were never able to gain any momentum and cut into the Trinity's lead. Both boats showed good closing speed and the Bantams won in time of 5:48.1 to CGA's 6:00.9 and retained the Emerson Cup for 2007. The Varsity 8 was comprised of Tenley Barna (Jr), Riley Matsco (Jr), Roy Cromer (So), Tomas Mameniskis (So), Dave Gilbert (Sr), Matt Vanderslice (Jr), Kyle Chavers (Sr), Tomas Naujokaitis (So), and Nick Iannarone (So).

The men's varsity second and third varsity 8's once again had similar performances to that of the varsity, also placing second to the eventual winner Trinity in both of those races. The Second Varsity 8, finishing 9 seconds behind Trinity in a time of 6:12.8, was comprised of Ashley Grim (So), Tom Weiland (Sr), Rob McCabe (Sr), Tenor Galambush (Jr), Chris Verlinden (Jr), Andrew Norberg (Jr), Andrew Haley (So), Dan Halsig (So) and Blake Leedy (Sr) while the Third Varsity, finishing only 5 seconds behind Trinity in a time of 6:19.5, included Katie McCaffrey (So), Matt Poore (Jr), Bryan Kelly (So), Steve Fainer (So), Chris Wildhagen (So), Evan Steckle (Fr), Nick Paparis (So), Sven Johnson (Fr), and Nick Herndon (Fr).

In the only 3 boat field of the day, the men's first novice 8 found themselves between two very fast Trinity Novice boats that showed tremendous closing ability. The Bears got off the line first and maintained a slight edge through the first 500m over the Bantam 1N and a half-of-a-length over the 2N. Coming through the 1200m, the race tightened as the Trinity 1N took about a 3 seat lead on the Bears and the Bear's lead on the 2N had evaporated. As they made the final push for the finish line, the Bears weren't able to match the length of the Trinity 8's and finished 7 seocnds behind the eventual winner, Trinity 1N, in a time of 6:06.8. The Novice 8 included Andrew Slater (Fr), Kristopher Kesting (Fr), James Heuser (Fr), Sam Merritt (Fr), Philip Constantino (Fr), Daniel Swaim (Fr), Thomas Olsen (Fr), Nick Jokela (Fr), and Joe DiRenzo (Fr).

The Academy Men will travel to Lowell, Massachusetts next Saturday morning, April 14, to take on Colby College, UMass-Lowell and Massachusetts Martitme Academy and then return home to race Connecticut College on Sunday afternoon, April 15, on the Thames.