Varsity Four Enjoys Solid Showing At Head Of The Charles

BOSTON, Mass. -- The men's and women's fours enjoyed a solid performance at the Head of the Charles, as both shells finished in the top half of their respective event. The women's four took 16th place out of 32 entries, while the men's four captured 17th place out of 43 entries.

"I am thrilled by the performances of both crews at the regatta over the weekend," Head Coach David Patterson said. "It is so important for the development of Fairfield Rowing that we are seen to be capable of getting automatic qualification for the Head of the Charles by coming in the top 50 percent of the crews in their event.'

The men's team crossed the finish line with a time of 18:06.06 which was 8.47 percent behind the winning time for the event. The team included coxswain Amanda Klecker, James Jessup, Jared Strauss, Dave Brems, and Ben Andrews.

"I am happy for the two senior captains, Jared and Dave, that they can end their collegiate head racing career on a positive note, leaving a legacy for future Fairfield varsity rowers to maintain and indeed build upon. Likewise, it is great to see the impact that sophomore James Jessup and freshman Ben Andrews are already having on our varsity program as we look to build a reputation for quality powerful rowing."

The women's team finished their race with a time of 20:37.2 which was 7.52 percent off the winning time. The squad consisted of coxwain Mary McGrath, Becca Bowes, Lindsay Ryan, Dori Thayer, and Alysse Merullo.

"Someone was looking out for us favorably because we placed 16th out of 32 and the recorded time difference between the final qualifying spot and the boat that placed 17th was 5/1000th of a second which in racing terms is not a visible difference. The women's squad really needed this boost of confidence as we look to regroup and develop into a competitive team in the MAAC conference once more."

Patterson also pointed to the leadership of the coxswains for their role in the both teams' success.

"It is crucial to acknowledge the contributions of our two racing coxswains Amanda Klecker and Mary McGrath," Patterson said. "The Head of the Charles is a course that is notoriously difficult to steer competitively and despite both Amanda essentially being novice coxswains, they really stepped up under pressure and led their crews with great command."

The results at the Head of the Charles certainly showed both teams ability to adjust to new surroundings and a new coaching staff. The Stags have enjoyed early success under first-year Coach Patterson.

"The whole team has been working hard this fall but with so many changes to start the season, it has been no surprise that things have taken time to settle down," Patterson said. "The fall season started in September with a new boathouse facility, a new stretch of water to row on, and a new coaching staff. Plus, the men's program has endured the biggest change of all by going from club to varsity status."

Despite the change, the Stags have shown that the success they enjoyed in the fall is only a sign of even better times ahead come spring.