WORCESTER, Mass.—For the second year in a row, Hobart College ended the regular season with three medal-winning performances at the ECAC National Invitational Rowing Championships on Lake Quinsigamond. The Statesmen capped an undefeated spring in the varsity eight with its first ever ECAC gold while the second varsity eight earned a bronze medal and the third varsity eight a silver.
 
Last season, Hobart secured a silver and two bronze medals, marking the first time in program history the Statesmen had won three medals at the ECAC NIRC. Both this season and last season's performances earned Hobart Head Coach Paul Bugenhagen the ECAC NIRC Men's Coach of the Year Award.
 
Ranked 20th in the latest USRowing poll, Hobart's varsity eight qualified for the grand final by winning its morning heat over a field that included Boston College, Bucknell, and New Hampshire. The Statesmen's winning time of 5:53.047 was 2.761 seconds ahead of the runner-up Bison.
 
The afternoon's grand final turned into a showdown between Hobart and 2013 gold medalist Michigan. Sam Zuckerman, Joe Biesemeyer, Robert McNamara, August Wherry, Brett Lawhon, Davis Muller, Patrick Ware, Milos Milosavljevic, and W. Hunter Holtz outsprinted the Wolverines to win by just 0.406 seconds, stopping the clock in 5:57.741 and earning a berth in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championships in Mercer County, N.J., May 30 through June 1.
 
The second varsity eight needed to be in the top two in its heat to reach the final, but left no doubt, winning in 6:04.458, more than four seconds ahead of second place Bucknell. The Wolverines won the grand final in 6:00.323 with Williams taking second in 6:01.017. Jessica Dinan, Chris DePaola, Nicholas Baca, Owen Monahan, D. Griffin Marsh, John Hibbard, Austin Letorney, Matthew Sylvan, and Dylan Brodie turned in a time of 6:03.468 with open water back to fourth place Marist.
 
A bronze medalist in 2013, Hobart's third varsity eight needed to be in the top three of its heat to reach the grand final. Sky Drazek, William Bird, Alexander Sanford, Colin Theran, Garrett Tongue, Jordan Rooth, Brady Phillips, David Kidwell, and Sam Menchel charged down the course, crossing the line in a winning time of 6:21.519. Boston College was second in 6:26.369. The Statesmen fourth varsity eight was also entered in the 3V event, taking third behind their teammates and qualifying for the grand final.
 
In the grand final, the Statesmen improved on their third place effort of a year ago, taking second in 6:22.295 trailing only Michigan.
 
The Hobart 2V and 3V are also entered into the IRA National Championships. The full championship field is scheduled to be announced May 20.