MROW: Zags Headed to Western Sprints

Saturday, May 18

Folsom, Calif.

Gonzaga University

Western Sprints

Photo by: Torrey Vail

5/17/2019 11:45:00 AM | Men's Rowing

Western Sprints Notes

Gonzaga will look to quality for the IRA National Championships on Saturday

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga men's rowing team will race in the Western Sprints Saturday, May 18 on Lake Natoma in Folsom, Calif. The Bulldogs have the opportunity to earn an automatic qualification to the IRA National Championships.

"The top three crews were only separated by 1.3 seconds in the varsity eight the last time we met," head men's rowing coach Dan Gehn said. "I expect this to be a barn-burner of a race. It's a one-time shot down the course. We have had two good weeks training and graduation is out of the way, so we are ready to get after it!"

The Zags will race three boats in Saturday's regatta, with one boat in each of the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Third Varsity Eight races.

EVENT HISTORY:
- The Western Sprints Championship is held at Lake Natoma in Folsom, Calif.
- The Western Sprints has five members: Gonzaga, San Diego, Santa Clara, UCSD and Oklahoma City.
- The championship acts as an automatic qualifier for the IRA National Championships; the top finishing programs in the varsity eight race will qualify for the IRAs.
- Gonzaga will have boats in the varsity eight, second varsity eight and third varsity eight races.
- The regatta will follow the West Coast Conference women's rowing championships. The third varsity eight race is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., the second varsity eight at 10:10 a.m. and the varsity eight at 10:20 a.m.

EVENT HISTORY:
- The Western Sprints was formed as a stand-alone championship in 2014.
- Gonzaga won the first championship, defeating USD by more than two seconds to claim the varsity eight title. That same year, GU's second varsity eight finished in second, three seconds behind the Toreros.
- In 2015, the Bulldogs took first in the second varsity eight, winning with a time of 6:27.0.
- Last season, UCSD swept the championships, winning the varsity eight race by a three-second margin.

LINEUPS
Varsity Eight
Cox: Ben Foos
Mark Jankovic
Colin Drangsholt
Richard Zukowski
Ian Melder
Anthony Adamek
Lucas Abeln
Coe Carter
James Moore
Second Varsity Eight
Cox: Scott Stewart
Benjamin Kropelnicki
John Lomond
Zachary Weber
Charley Nordin
Johnathon Kneeland
Kyle Jangard
Colby Cadman
Jack Snider

Third Varsity Eight
Cox: Riley Beeler
Dillon Yanick
Samuel Dernis
Dominic Hutt
Liam Johnson
Thomas Jamrozik
Sean Tveter
Jack Donnelly
Jack Bagot