PRINCETON, NJ — The Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA) announced its 2022 postseason awards earlier this month, and the Navy’s light rowing team saw five of its athletes receive IRCA All-American nods, while 15 were recognized as IRCA Scholar athletes . Additionally, the Mids’ support staff was recognized as the 2022 IRCA Lightweight Staff of the Year.
Recent Graduates Andy Laberee (Medford, NJ) and Myles Knight (Northbrook, Illinois) highlighted the Navy’s recognition as members of the 2022 IRCA All-America First Team. May’s duo graduate Jack Ransick (Corte Madera, California) and aspiring sophomore Robert Sherman (Riverside, Connecticut) joined Laberee and Knight as well-known achievers as both were named to the IRCA All-America Second Team. Stephen Frost (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was the last lightweight rower to receive awards when he was selected as an IRCA All-American with an honorable mention.
This spring, all five of the above honorees played critical roles in the Navy’s first 6-1 win with trophy wins over Princeton, Columbia, Georgetown, Harvard and Penn. In postseason competition, the Mids’ top crew finished second to Yale in the Eastern Sprints by a slim 1.735 seconds before falling 1.958 seconds off Columbia’s last time at the IRA National Championship. Navy’s Eastern Sprints V8 result was the best since 2006, when the Mids finished second. In the IRAs, Ransick served as the V8’s helmsman, while Frost, Sherman, Knight and Laberee served as the boat’s “engine” in third, fourth, fifth and sixth places.
Laberee and Ransick have now achieved IRCA All-American status in consecutive years as both were listed in the 2021 First Team.
For the second year in a row, Navy was honored with the IRCA Lightweight Staff of the Year Award. The assistant coach’s crew of six James SandsOfficer Rep. Lt. Tom Paul, Captain Bill Fouse (USMC, ret.), Captain Bob Qu (USMC), Faculty Rep Professor Danny Morse and Boatswain Steve Fluhr were honored for their excellence in coaching, recruitment, commitment to the program, student-athletes and head coaches while upholding the values of IRCA and men’s collegiate rowing.
As a program, Navy placed first in team scoring in both the Eastern Sprints and the IRA National Championship. The Mids 4V8 and 5V8 won gold to lead the program in the sprints, in addition to the Silver medal-winning performances of Navy’s V8 and 2V8 on May 15. At the end of the season IRA regatta, the Mids 2V8 and V4 won gold and the V8 took silver.
In the academic portion of the IRCA announcements, 15 members of the Navy lightweight team were designated IRCA Scholar-Athletes. The Mids’ Class of 2022 highlighted the list of outstanding academic achievers with seven honorees: Matt Fox (Aurora, Colorado) Charlie Goodrich (Norwich, Vt.), David Jackson (Spearman, Texas) Jack Spector (Weston, Massachusetts) Kyle Young (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) Seamus Tomb (North Creek, NY) and Will Jarrett (Gales Ferry, Conn.). Seven aspiring seniors are also noted on the roll of honor: Colby Magill (Edmond, Oklahoma) Connor Rex (Alexandria, Virginia) Jackson Fuller (Winter Park, Florida), Jonathan Greenberg (Providence, RI), Luke darling (Wrightwood, California) Matt Ross (Anchorage, Alaska) and Stephen Scholl (Annapolis, Maryland). Robby Klanac (Strongsville, Ohio) is the only member of the Navy’s Class of 2024 to qualify for the national award.
For the 2022 season, all honorees were required to have completed their second eligibility season, competed in their program’s top three boats during the regular season or raced at the IRA Championships in May, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher by the end of fall have semester. In total there were 525 rowers and helmsmen from 44 different teams who met criteria set by the IRCA Awards & Polling Committee.
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