Drexel University Athletics

Photo by: Ryan Samson
Men's Rowing Advances Five Boats to Grand Finals at Knecht Cup Regatta
4/15/2023 3:26:00 PM | Men's Rowing
CHERRY HILL, N.J. - The Drexel men's rowing team had a strong day on the Cooper River as multiple boats advanced to the top level finals of their events in Saturday's action at the Knecht Cup Regatta.
Rowing in Lois Krall III, the Varsity 8+ was the only team in the heats to go under six minutes, crossing the finish line in 5:59.48. The group of Sam DeSilva (coxswain), Kosta Petkovic (stroke), Nikola Loncar, Josh Diggons, Damian Lis, Vuk Mladenovic, Nemanja Sajatovic, Jack Anderson and Andrew Manns (bow) followed up with a 5:45.77 in the semis to earn a place in Sunday's Grand Final.
Both of the Dragons entries in the 2V8+ moved onto the Grand Final as well. The "A" boat of Billy Ernst (coxswain), John Karen (stroke), Roman Smigiel, Alex Manolarakis, James Schmidt, Jake Miller, Zach Key, Lake Watson and Sam Valigorsky (bow) won the first heat of the day with a time of 6:12.23 in Lois Krall II.
Alex Dragovits (coxswain), Sean Blair (stroke), Dearon Tufankjian, Richmond Coney, Nick Foley, Jack Hutchison, Daniel Yurcisin, Thomas Gola and Sean Williams (bow) rowed Sheller II to a third place finish in 6:12.69 in the second heat to advance.
In the V4+, Drexel's "B" boat of Charlotte Bentrim (coxswain), Georg Karacsonyi (stroke), Jono Andersson, Ben Werber and Aidan Ionescu (bow) took Diane Corle to a win with a 6:52.89 clocking.
The Novice 8+ competed in Annette Pennoni and saw several members of the team pull double duty on the day. Bentrim (coxswain), Karacsonyi (stroke), Andersson, Werber, , Justin Getty, Gavin Roe, Ionescu, Sam Duncan and Anthony Coluzzi (bow) topped their heat by an eye-popping 30 seconds, finishing in 6:23.18.
The finals begin on Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE (If two times are listed, the Petite Final is listed first, Grand Final listed second)
Men's V4+ Final - 9:30/9:38 a.m.
Men's Novice 8+ Final - 10:50 a.m.
Men's 2V8+ Final - 11:22/11:30 a.m.
Men's V8+ Final - 12:42/12:50 p.m.
RESULTS
V8+ - Heats
1. Drexel - 5:59.48
2. Trinity - 6:00.31
3. Michigan - 6:01.19
4. Iona - 6:28.97
5. Catholic - 6:32.38
V8+ Semis
1. Drexel - 5:45.77
2. George Washington - 5:57.80
3. Lehigh - 6:05.50
4. Adrian - 6:11.15
2V8+ - Heat 1
1. Drexel A - 6:12.23
2. Trinity - 6:16.91
3. Michigan - 6:18.06
4. George Washington A - 6:18.68
5. Army - 6:47.82
6. Fairfield - 7:23.20
2V8+ Heat 2
1. La Salle - 6:05.48
2. MIT - 6:10.43
3. Drexel B - 6:12.69
4. Lehigh - 6:33.71
5. George Washington B - 6:47.87
6. Marietta - 6:54.42
V4+ - Heat 1
1. Mercyhurst B - 6:53.32
2. Fairfield - 6:55.00
3. Army - 7:10.37
4. Drexel A - 7:10.64
5. George Mason - 7:16.88
6. Fordham B - 7:37.33
V4+ - Heat 2
1. Drexel B - 6:52.89
2. MIT - 6:56.27
3. Fordham A - 6:56.48
4. Mercyhurst A - 6:58.92
5. TCNJ - 8:36.74
Novice 8+ - Heats
1. Drexel - 6:23.18
2. Michigan B - 6:59.92
3. URI Rowing Club - 7:27.09
4. Villanova - 8:40.18
Lafayette - DNS
LINEUPS
Rowing in Lois Krall III, the Varsity 8+ was the only team in the heats to go under six minutes, crossing the finish line in 5:59.48. The group of Sam DeSilva (coxswain), Kosta Petkovic (stroke), Nikola Loncar, Josh Diggons, Damian Lis, Vuk Mladenovic, Nemanja Sajatovic, Jack Anderson and Andrew Manns (bow) followed up with a 5:45.77 in the semis to earn a place in Sunday's Grand Final.
Both of the Dragons entries in the 2V8+ moved onto the Grand Final as well. The "A" boat of Billy Ernst (coxswain), John Karen (stroke), Roman Smigiel, Alex Manolarakis, James Schmidt, Jake Miller, Zach Key, Lake Watson and Sam Valigorsky (bow) won the first heat of the day with a time of 6:12.23 in Lois Krall II.
Alex Dragovits (coxswain), Sean Blair (stroke), Dearon Tufankjian, Richmond Coney, Nick Foley, Jack Hutchison, Daniel Yurcisin, Thomas Gola and Sean Williams (bow) rowed Sheller II to a third place finish in 6:12.69 in the second heat to advance.
In the V4+, Drexel's "B" boat of Charlotte Bentrim (coxswain), Georg Karacsonyi (stroke), Jono Andersson, Ben Werber and Aidan Ionescu (bow) took Diane Corle to a win with a 6:52.89 clocking.
The Novice 8+ competed in Annette Pennoni and saw several members of the team pull double duty on the day. Bentrim (coxswain), Karacsonyi (stroke), Andersson, Werber, , Justin Getty, Gavin Roe, Ionescu, Sam Duncan and Anthony Coluzzi (bow) topped their heat by an eye-popping 30 seconds, finishing in 6:23.18.
The finals begin on Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE (If two times are listed, the Petite Final is listed first, Grand Final listed second)
Men's V4+ Final - 9:30/9:38 a.m.
Men's Novice 8+ Final - 10:50 a.m.
Men's 2V8+ Final - 11:22/11:30 a.m.
Men's V8+ Final - 12:42/12:50 p.m.
RESULTS
V8+ - Heats
1. Drexel - 5:59.48
2. Trinity - 6:00.31
3. Michigan - 6:01.19
4. Iona - 6:28.97
5. Catholic - 6:32.38
V8+ Semis
1. Drexel - 5:45.77
2. George Washington - 5:57.80
3. Lehigh - 6:05.50
4. Adrian - 6:11.15
2V8+ - Heat 1
1. Drexel A - 6:12.23
2. Trinity - 6:16.91
3. Michigan - 6:18.06
4. George Washington A - 6:18.68
5. Army - 6:47.82
6. Fairfield - 7:23.20
2V8+ Heat 2
1. La Salle - 6:05.48
2. MIT - 6:10.43
3. Drexel B - 6:12.69
4. Lehigh - 6:33.71
5. George Washington B - 6:47.87
6. Marietta - 6:54.42
V4+ - Heat 1
1. Mercyhurst B - 6:53.32
2. Fairfield - 6:55.00
3. Army - 7:10.37
4. Drexel A - 7:10.64
5. George Mason - 7:16.88
6. Fordham B - 7:37.33
V4+ - Heat 2
1. Drexel B - 6:52.89
2. MIT - 6:56.27
3. Fordham A - 6:56.48
4. Mercyhurst A - 6:58.92
5. TCNJ - 8:36.74
Novice 8+ - Heats
1. Drexel - 6:23.18
2. Michigan B - 6:59.92
3. URI Rowing Club - 7:27.09
4. Villanova - 8:40.18
Lafayette - DNS
LINEUPS
Men's V8+ |
Shell - Lois Krall III |
Coxswain - Sam DeSilva |
Stroke - Kosta Petkovic |
7 - Nikola Loncar |
6 - Josh Diggons |
5 - Damian Lis |
4 - Vuk Mladenovic |
3 - Nemanja Sajatovic |
2 - Jack Anderson |
Bow - Andrew Manns |
Men's 2V8+ - "A" | Men's 2V8+ - "B" |
Shell - Lois Krall II | Shell - Sheller II |
Coxswain - Billy Ernst | Coxswain - Alex Dragovits |
Stroke - John Karen | Stroke - Sean Blair |
7 - Roman Smigiel | 7 - Dearon Tufankjian |
6 - Alex Manolarakis | 6 - Richmond Coney |
5 - James Schmidt | 5 - Nick Foley |
4 - Jake Miller | 4 - Jack Hutchison |
3 - Zach Key | 3 - Daniel Yurcisin |
2 - Lake Watson | 2 - Thomas Gola |
Bow - Sam Valigorsky | Bow - Sean Williams |
Men's V4+ - "A" | Men's V4+ - "B" |
Shell - Go Roe | Shell - Dan Lyons |
Coxswain - Emma Houghton | Coxswain - Charlotte Bentrim |
Stroke - Malcolm Grauley | Stroke - George Karacsonyi |
3 - Joe Glenn | 3 - Jono Andersson |
2 - Maxwell Frey | 2 - Ben Werber |
Bow - Brendan Wilhelm | Bow - Aidan Ionescu |
Men's Novice 8+ |
Shell - Annette Pennoni |
Coxswain - Charlotte Bentrim |
Stroke - George Karacsonyi |
7 - Jono Andersson |
6 - Ben Werber |
5 - Justin Getty |
4 - Gavin Roe |
3 - Aidan Ionescu |
2 - Sam Duncan |
Bow - Anthony Coluzzi |
Players Mentioned
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Tuesday, March 18
Justin Best - Olympic Gold Medal Rower
Wednesday, March 05
Dragon Leadership Academy Feature 2024
Friday, March 01
Game Plans - Presented by The Study - Rowing Coach Katie Lane
Tuesday, February 06