Oakdale, NY- The Men's Rowing team would cap off one of their more successful seasons in recent memory, finishing up 2010 with a third place finish at the Dad Vail Regatta.
Under the guidance of head coach Peter Lee, the team would be very successful during the Spring racing season. At the Murphy Cup Regatta in early April, the Varsity 4+ boat would earn a first place finish in their heat. Advancing to the final, the Golden Lions would cross the finish line in a time of 6:52.07.
Just a week later at the Knecht Cup Regatta in Camden, NJ, the Varsity 4+ would advance to the petite final, placing 6th in that event with a time of 7:09.01. The highlight of the day would come as the Varsity 8+ earned the gold medal after defeating SUNY Maritime, crossing the finish line in a time of 6:50.70.
The team would then travel with the Women's team to the East Regional championship, entering boats in three separate events. Their top finish would come as the Varsity 2- would take second after lining up against Mercyhurst College. They would cross in a time of 8:17.8.
Finishing up the season, the Golden Lions would travel to the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, PA. With Adam Berger at stroke, the Golden Lions would take a 2nd place finish in their heat with a time of 6:29.21, just behind Lafayette who finished in 6:28.92. This time would be good enough to advance Dowling to the semifinals.
In their next race, the Varsity 4 would blow the competition away by winning the semifinal match in a time of 6:39.64 to advance to the final for a chance to win the Thomas Curran Cup. In that race, Dowling would face strong winds and white caps along the course, ultimately finishing with a time of 7:25.76, good for third place. Grand Valley would earn first with a winning time of 7:16.30.
A successful season for all rowers on the team, Lee applauded the squad for their accomplishments. "We achieved a lot on the water this year as a team, but I'm even prouder of the individual successes everyone reached to make this team great."