May 24, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart crew team claimed all three of the Liberty League’s postseason awards in a vote of the League’s coaches. The Statesmen earned the Coaching Staff of the Year, the Crew of the Year, and the Novice Crew of the Year awards.

In his first season as Hobart’s coach, Mike Alton led the Statesmen to their first Liberty League Championship, earning more than twice as many points as any other team. Hobart won all four events it entered at the conference championships. The Statesmen won a pair of bronze medals in the New York State Championships (novice eight, second varsity eight) and were the highest placing Division III team in the Knecht Cup, earning a spot in the grand finals in the varsity eight, second varsity eight, and the novice eight. Alton is assisted by Michael Hoepp ’05, Tony Shelton, and Ford Weiskittel.

Hobart’s varsity eight won the Liberty League Championship for the second straight time, finishing more than 11 seconds ahead of its nearest competitor. The Statesmen did not lose to another Liberty League boat all spring. The varsity eight placed fourth in the New York State Championships, helping the team to a second place finish. Hobart capped the spring with a return to the grand final of the ECAC Championships for the first time since 2003. The Statesmen finished sixth overall. Senior JM Chadonic (The Lawrenceville School/New York, N.Y.), senior Tim Faxon (Salisbury School/Pelham, N.Y.), senior Dan Gilbert (Brighton/Rochester, N.Y.), junior Mike Grenier (Brooks School/Methuen, Mass.), sophomore Richard Klein (Staples/Westport, Conn.), junior Sep Levatich (Ithaca/Ithaca, N.Y.), senior Gardner Loring (Middlesex/Duxbury, Mass.), sophomore Drew Meunier (Shenendehowa/Round Lake, N.Y.), and sophomore Alex Tye (Kent School/New Canaan, Conn.) comprise Hobart’s top boat.

The Statesmen novice eight also won the Liberty League Championship for the second straight time, finishing more than 12 seconds ahead of its nearest competitor. They too bested every Liberty League boat they faced this spring. The novice eight placed third in the New York State Championships. First-year Dan Allen (Cohasset/Cohasset, Mass.), first-year Mike Talarico (Falmouth/Falmouth, Maine), first-year Matt Gruppo (Fairfield/Fairfield, Conn.), first-year John Heavey (Poughkeepsie/Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), first-year Garrett McIntyre (Fairport/Fairfield, Conn.), first-year Chris Moore (Central Bucks West/Doylestown, Pa.), first-year Andrew O’Donnell (Salisbury School/Ancramdale, N.Y.), sophomore Jake Podkaminer (Charles D. Dickenson/Trumansburg, N.Y.), and first-year Ben Ramsey (Carnegie Vanguard/Houston, Texas) comprise Hobart’s novice eight.

The Statesmen will learn by May 26 if they have been selected to participate in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships, June 1-3, in Camden, N.J.

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