MERCER, N.J.- The Jacksonville men's rowing team rowed for the last time of the 2022-23 season on Saturday at the IRA National Championships. The team's performance was the perfect ending to their year.
Yesterday, the Dolphins rowed the 11th fastest time during the time-trial portion of the IRA's. The team, who was just one second out of a top 10 finish, qualified for the petite final after the semi-finals were canceled due to the excessive heat that hit Mercer, New Jersey.
"This whole weekend was a big success," said head coach Preston Weinard. "I think our ability to accept what's going on and be adaptable and be the guys that make it work and rebound and respond positively has made it that way. That's half of racing, is how you respond, but the other half is going out and doing the racing itself. This was the highest JU has finished in the Varsity Four ever and I'm sure it was the best finish ever as well."
JU's pool of teams included boats from Stetson, Syracuse, Princeton, Boston and Pennsylvania. The Dolphins put together the best performance in program history after racing a 7:17.939 time, good for fourth in the petite final. Not only did the Dolphins beat out boats in their own final but they also had a faster time than Northeastern who was in the Grand Final.
"Yesterday, I had mentioned how I want the team to go to a dark place they haven't yet been to race the best they ever have. I really think they went to that placed based on the looks on their faces - being happy with the finish but also looking absolutely beat. I think they went there and got rewarded for it."
With the Dolphins season coming to a close, the team put the exclamation point on a year that's seen them face some unique adversity. The team has responded to every potential setback, and put together the most successful finish in program history.
"Overall this season was really good and I think it started that year with the freshmen to the seniors all coming together and wanting to take it to another level and gear," said Weinard. "Slowly but surely, we did that. Nothing humongous happens in one year, but it's important to have steady progress and that's what we did this year."
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