Ireton crew qualifies for Nationals in NJ

The Cardinal Crew Team will be going head to head with the fastest crews in the United States at the US National Championship this weekend in Princeton, NJ. BI Crew is sending double the amount of athletes and boats this year over last year and the Cardinals are sending the strongest crews in the program’s history. The boats entered are the Men’s Senior 8+, Women’s Senior 4+, and the Women’s Junior 4+.

The Women’s Senior 4+ makes a return trip to Nationals this year. Top finishes at every regatta this season including placing 2nd at the Washington Metro Championship and winning the Holy Cross Invitational earned their return. The boat includes rowers Mandy Howells, Clara Candalor, Sara Woodruff, Cecilia Baxter and coxswain John Ross Famisan.

The Men’s Senior 8+ qualified for Nationals for the first time this year. This category is comprised of the fastest oarsmen from each program around the country. BI narrowly missed placing in the top 20 (finished 21st) at the Stotesbury regatta this past weekend and Stotesbury is the most competitive regatta in the United States. The top finish helped qualify them to compete at the US Nationals in Princeton this weekend. The boat includes rowers Kevin Borough, Justin Kyker, Tom Heitbrink, Thaddeus Babiec, Dexter Phan, Ryan Dougherty, Chris Ring, Patrick Walsh and coxswain Brian McCormack.

The Women’s Junior 4+ easily earned their inaugural trip to nationals by winning the Washington Metro Championship by over 10 seconds. The boat includes rowers Katherine Aust, Helen Fonda, Meredith Ramey, Sarah Morgan and coxswain Katie O’Neill.

Ireton found out after the team returned to Alexandria that the Men’s 2nd/Junior Eight also qualified for Nationals.

“It is exciting to qualify for the US Nationals knowing you have competitive boats. We went last year for the first time unexpectedly. This year we are going with the knowledge that we belong in a fight for a national title. We are doubling the number of athletes and boats going this year and are faster, stronger and better prepared across the board,” said Head Coach Gibson.