Crew Club Members Place at Saratoga Invitational

By: Senior Communications Intern Teagan Brush 

We currently have four Notre Dame athletes who are members of the ND Crew Club: Jake Shannon ‘22, Robert “Trip” Pisano ‘23, Matthew Benjamin ‘23 and Erich Sands ‘22. The club members row with the Princeton National Rowing Association Mercer team at the Lake in Mercer County Park. 

In April, Notre Dame’s Crew Club participated in the Saratoga Invitational and had some impressive outcomes. Erich came in first place for his 1v8 on Saturday for his trial's heat. On Sunday he placed again, coming in second and receiving a silver medal for the finals. Erich’s 2v4 came in second place during trials and 8th for the finals. Matthew came in fourth place for his 2v8 but it was a very close competition for 3rd. Matthew landed a first place on a 3V. Jake and Trip, who were in the same boat, placed first in the 4V out of eight boats. Erich says, “The Crew Club is cool because although all 4 of us are in different boating levels we're still a group.” The team is off to the Saratoga Invitationals and Nationals his June.

Erich has committed to Temple University where he will row for the men's heavyweight team in the fall. Some of the other athletes in Erich’s boat have committed to Yale, University of Pennsylvania, United States Naval Academy and Tufts University, serving as evidence of the opportunities rowing and strong academic performance can provide.

The Crew Club hopes to attract new members, both experienced and inexperienced rowers. Senior Erich Sands says, “The club has been running for a few years now and it's a great way to represent our school in the sport of rowing.” Any Notre Dame athlete interested in rowing next year should contact the Princeton National Rowing Association at info@rowpnra.org.