Rowing relying on freshmen for successful spring

By Ryan Patota, Sports Reporter

The Canisius rowing team will be leaning on a batch of newcomers as they begin spring semester competition. 

The Griffs welcomed eight freshmen this season, and the team is excited about their development. Head Coach Matt Cosmann was proud of the growth he saw in their first competition. “I am happy to see new athletes step into leadership roles both during and after races, providing a strong foundation for the program moving forward,” Cosman explained.

At the Knecht Cup in Cherry Hill, N.J., the team finished fourth in the varsity four race with a time of 8:44.03. The second varsity eight (2V8) shell finished last of the six boats competing with a time of 7:24.08. Also competing for the Griffs, the varsity eight boat recorded a fourth-place finish with a time of just over seven minutes in their six-boat heat.

Cosmann reflected on this past weekend's performance, stating, “I thought our team felt unprepared. The body of water leading up to the competition was still full of ice, which is a challenge due to the weather. However, even still being unprepared, I thought we performed well, and it gave me an optimistic perspective on the future.”

In looking towards the future, Cosmann commented, “what we need to improve upon is maintaining boat speed through the middle of the race and building into the final thousand meters.” 

Canisius will compete in the New York State Collegiate Championships this upcoming Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The team racing on Lake Erie (via Sam Hughes)