The University of Delaware Men’s Crew completed its fall 2024 season with speed and building momentum, setting the tone for an exciting spring racing season. The addition of seven recruited freshmen kicked training off in late August during preseason.
With the warm dry weather, the team took to competitive rowing in early October with intrasquad competition at the Head of the Christina. The team enjoyed this warm-up race against teammates. It was the opportunity for 18 walk-on novices to compete in their first regatta.
Navy Day Regatta
The next weekend, the team competed at the Navy Day Regatta. Racing began with two Varsity 4+ boats taking on strong competition, securing favorable results against programs like Temple, Lafayette, and Rutgers. The depth of the UDMC program was evident with the 3V8, 1F8, and 2F8 all delivering favorable results, reinforcing the team’s strength across boat classes. The Men’s Collegiate 8+ event capped off the day, with the 1V8 placing 9th out of 26 boats, beating crews from Drexel, Temple, LaSalle, and Georgetown. The 2V8 also delivered, placing 19th and outperforming Fairfield, LaSalle, and Navy entries.
Head of the Charles
It was a quick turnaround for the team as they shipped out to Boston to race in the Head of the Charles. Two boats raced in the Collegiate 8+ and the Collegiate 4+. The 1V8 achieved an impressive 11th-place finish out of 42 crews, marking UDMC’s best placement in nine years and establishing itself as the 2nd fastest club team in the event. The crew bested top competitors such as Temple, Hobart, Wesleyan, Tufts, Williams, and Marietta. Meanwhile, the 1V4 also delivered a strong performance, finishing 15th out of 42 and defeating crews from Michigan, Williams, Wesleyan, and Iona. The team’s success earned automatic bids to the Head of the Charles in 2025, a testament to their growing speed and competitiveness.
Head of the Schuylkill
The team returned to Philadelphia to race in the Head of the Schuylkill on the final weekend of October. The morning kicked off with the 1F4 securing a 3rd place medal in the Collegiate Freshmen 4+ event. The 1V4 finished 5th out of 33 boats in the Championship 4+ event, defeating Marietta, Marist, and Temple crews. The day continued with the Freshmen 8+ event where the 1F8 placed 9th out of 18 and the 2F8 placed 13th. The final event of the day was the Club Championship 8+, where UDMC entered three varsity eights. The 1V8 placed 7th out of 50, just 5 seconds shy of a medal, while the 2V8 placed 14th and the 3V8 placed 28th, respectively. These results reinforced the team’s increasing speed and growing depth.
Head of the Occoquan
The final head race of the fall racing season was the Head of the Occoquan in Fairfax Station, Virginia. With the 1V8 and 2V8 not competing in the regatta, the 3V8 stepped up to the challenge in the 1V8 event, delivering an impressive performance to claim the silver medal. In the Collegiate Freshmen 4+ event, the 1F4 showcased their strength with a 3rd-place finish out of 11 crews, while the 2F4 followed closely behind in 5th. The highlight of the day came in the Collegiate Freshmen 8+ race, where the 1F8 dominated the field, capturing gold with a commanding margin of over one minute.
Looking Ahead
This fall season showcased the team’s growing depth and ever-increasing speed, reflecting the continuous rebuilding process. Owen Spahr ‘26 shared his remarks on the season, “This fall was a great showing for the team overall. We had solid results in the 1V, 2V, 3V, and freshmen boats. We have more depth on the team now and swinging up towards bigger competition shows the field that we will be a force to be reckoned with come springtime. A fast fall foreshadows a fast winter and fast spring.”
Heading into winter now, the team will transition into land training to continue building upon the speed displayed so far.
