WORCESTER, Mass.-The Hobart College rowing team captured three medals at the National Invitational Rowing Championships on Lake Quinsigamond today. The Statesmen second varsity eight repeated its gold medal performance from last season, while the varsity and third varsity eights captured silver medals in their respective events.
 
Since 2013, the Statesmen have won 12 medals at the NIRC regatta, including gold medals at each of the last three. A year ago, Hobart also secured a gold in the 2V and silvers in the 1V and 3V.
 
The Statesmen second varsity eight of Julia Dexter, Dilan Bower, Jordan Rooth, John Hibbard, Julien Green, D. Griffin Marsh, Steven Bunce, Dylan Brodie and Patrick Ware qualified for the grand final, winning their heat with a time of 6:40.755. Hobart bested a field that included RIT, Trinity, Ithaca, Colby College, and the University of New Hampshire. The Tigers finished second, five seconds back to join the Statesmen in the championship final.
 
In one of the day's closest races, Hobart's 2V competed against Michigan, Williams, Wesleyan, Bates, and RIT for the gold medal. The Statesmen and Wolverines distanced themselves from the field early in the race and traded the lead back and forth throughout the 2000-meter course. Hobart crossed the line first in a photo finish, stopping the clock at 6:17.165, two-hundredths of a second ahead of Michigan. The Ephs rounded out the podium, finishing eight seconds back.
 
Silver medalists in 2015, the Statesmen's varsity eight needed to finish first or second in its heat to progress to the grand final. In the preliminaries, Hobart collected a two second victory over WPI to reach the championship heat. In the grand final, the Statesmen eight of Sam Zuckerman, Milos Milosavljevic, August Wherry, Austin Letorney, Matthew Sylvan, Brett Lawhon, Sam Ash, Axel Witt, and Davis Muller got a strong start out of the stake boats to claim an early lead. The Wolverines, however, used a powerful middle 1000m to move through Hobart and capture the gold medal. The Statesmen powered down the course in 6:22.045, five seconds behind Michigan. Williams claimed the third spot on the podium.
 
Hobart entered two boats in the third varsity eight event. With only two heats in the race, the Statesmen needed to finish in the top three in their heats to advance to the grand final. Hobart's third varsity left no doubt that they belonged in the grand final, winning the second heat by six seconds with a time of 6:57.164. The fourth varsity progressed to the petite final after finishing fourth in the first heat.
 
In the afternoon's final, Sky Drazek, Kemal Turksonmez, James Davis, Anthony Giovenelli, Brian Helms, Harrison Luce, Dylan Bennett, Scott Hanks, and Sam Menchel claimed the silver medal after being out dueled by the Wolverines third varsity eight. The Statesmen stopped the clock at 6:17.826, holding off a late charge from Michigan's fourth varsity. In the petite final, Hobart used a strong second 1000 meters to post a four second victory over Bucknell.
 
The Statesmen finished second in the team points trophy with 58 points, one point behind Michigan.
 
Hobart will be back in action June 3-5, when travels to West Windsor, N.J. for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships.