Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Knecht Cup
Men's Crew Wins Two Gold and One Silver Medal at Knecht Cup
4.10.11 | Men's Crew
Varsity 8 tops two nationally-ranked boats in its race
Results
COLLINGSWOOD, NJ - Temple men's Varsity 8 and 2nd Varsity 8 won gold medals while the Owls' Lightweight 4 took silver at the 2011 Knecht Cup Sunday on the Cooper River. Temple defeated two boats in the Varsity 8 race, Grand Valley (5th) and Delaware (7th), that were ranked in the latest American Collegiate Rowing Association Poll's Top 10.
"We are managing to pick up speed each week," said Temple head coach Gavin White. "It was nice to see this reflected in today's final of the Knecht Cup against the strongest field in its history. A terrific finish in the Varsity 8 and our Second Varsity 8 made it clear that we may have to look more closely at each seat to see if we can't pick up a bit more speed."
The Varsity 8, comprised of junior James Barr (stroke), junior Nenad Ninkovic (7-seat), junior Jason Cartwright (6-seat), junior Brian Reehill (5-seat), sophomore Mike Mirabella (4-seat), senior John Masterson (3-seat), freshman Fergal Barry (2-seat), senior Scott Waters (bow) and junior Donald Norris (cox), defeated second place Delaware by 1.45 seconds. Trinity was a half-second behind in third followed by Marist, Drexel and Grand Valley.
The 2nd Varsity 8, comprised of sophomore Kevin Nally (stroke), junior Joe Bellesheim (7-seat), senior Jeff Wunderlich (6-seat), junior Aaron Heyde (5-seat), sophomore Maciej Grudzien (4-seat), junior Mike VanAssche (3-seat), junior Diordje Vilimanovic (2-seat), junior Petar Ivacic (bow) and sophomore Matthew Sbei (cox), easily bested second-place Trinity with Drexel placing third and Saint Joseph's fourth.
The Lightweight 4, comprised of sophomore Richard Ehmer (stroke), senior Nick Contino (3-seat), sophomore Chris Roberts (2-seat),junior Brandon Joyce (bow) and sophomore Nicholas Palastro (cox), edged out Charleston by .26 seconds, but finished 3.55 seconds behind Mercyhurst.
The Owls' Varsity four, comprised of junior John Boehm (stroke), freshman Piotr Grudzien (3-seat), junior Djordje Vilimanovic (2-seat), junior Alex Klein (bow) and sophomore Nicholas Palastro (cox), placed fifth place in the petite final.
Temple next heads to Oakridge, Tennessee to compete in the prestigious SIRA Regatta this Saturday and Sunday.
