Pioneer Navy make their mark all over the elite rowing circuit in summer of 2006

Aug. 21, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — While much of the Marietta College rowing community was still celebrating its victory in the Varsity 8+ at the 2006 Dad Vail Rowing Championships, some of its athletes — past and present — were helping the Pioneers further build their reputation in the rowing world. They were doing so by competing in this summer's top events around the nation and the world.

Just this summer, the Pioneer Navy made their mark all over the elite rowing circuit. Evan Tsourtsoulas, a citizen of both the United States and Greece, helped the Greeks capture the silver medal in the Senior B Lightweight Men's 4 at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships on July 23. It was the second straight year that he left the World Championships with a medal.

Not long after Tsourtsoulas' showing on the world's stage, other Pioneers were helping their respective clubs achieve success at the US National Rowing Championships. Mike Ross spent the summer with the Vesper Boat Club, one of the most exclusive rowing clubs in the country, and won three gold medals. He rowed stroke in Vesper's gold medal winning Heavyweight Intermediate 8+ and Senior 4- and sat in the four seat in its Heavyweight Senior 8+.

Brent Keuch '06 represented the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) at the US National Rowing Championships and helped his club win two gold in under an hour. Keuch sat bow in the Intermediate 4x race and stroke in the Intermediate 4+ race. In addition, Justin Callaham was a member of the NYAC's Boat B, which placed sixth in the Intermediate 4+ event. Alums, Matt Hoffer '04 and Mark Dolson '05, also participated in the National Championships. Dolson joined Ross on Vesper's gold medal winning Intermediate 8+ shell.

The Pioneers also had a strong showing at the 124th Royal Canadian Henley, which took place in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, from Aug. 8-13. Ross helped Vesper win two more gold medals — Championship Eight and Senior Eight — and two second place finishes — Dash Eight and Senior Four — at the event. Luke Agnini '02, rowing for Penn AC, also competed in the Championship Eight event, which featured mostly national team prospects that did not make the national team this year, and won the silver medal.

Andy Coniglio '05 also had a strong showing, representing Shrewsbury Rowing Club, at the Royal Canadian Henley. Coniglio defended his title in the Senior 64KG Men's Single by cruising to the gold medal. He also helped Shrewsbury take third place in the Senior 64KG Men's Cox Four. Callaham, Hoffer and Dolson also competed in events at the regatta.                     

Later this summer, two Marietta rowers — Tsourtsoulas, who is again representing Greece, and Andrew Bolton '02, who is representing the US — are expected to go head-to-head in the Lightweight Pair at the Senior World Championships, which will be held in Eton, England on August 24-27.

All of these athletes carry with them the banner of Marietta College rowing and it serves as a reminder that the Pioneer Navy will continue to be a force in the rowing world for years to come.