STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford men's rowing brought a conclusion to the 2021 campaign with an appearance in the grand final at the IRA Championships, where Stanford finished fifth in the varsity eight. The climax of the season, which was Stanford's best finish since 2009, carries momentum into the season to come in 2021-22.
Men's rowing was among the 11 programs slated to be in its final season of varsity competition, and was announced to be continued on May 18.
All-Americans
Four Stanford men's rowers have earned All-America recognition, as announced June 30 by the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA). Peter Chatain and Trey Holterman were named to the first team while Flynn Traeger and James Wright garnered second team distinction.
IRA Recap
Stanford placed fifth in the varsity eight on May 29 at the IRA Championships. The second varsity took third in the petite final to take ninth overall, while the varsity four won the third level final to take 14th.
The varsity eight, which was one of three Pac-12 schools to reach the grand final, crossed the line with a time of 6:12.8. There was a race for the podium over the final stretch, but Dartmouth and Syracuse clipped the Cardinal by five and two seconds, respectively. The Cardinal finished four seconds clear of sixth-place Northeastern.
Chatain Wins Pac-12 Honor
Junior Peter Chatain joined an elite group of Pac-12 rowers this season, as he was named the Pac-12 Men's Rowing Athlete of the Year. Additionally, Chatain was a first team All-Pac-12 selection.
Chatain is Stanford's fourth recipient of the Athlete of the Year honor, joining Alex Osborne (2009) and Austin Hack (2013 and 2014). The award, as well as his All-Pac-12 selection, are the first in his career from the conference office.
Stanford finished fourth at the Pac-12 Championships despite sending only the varsity eight and second varsity eight to compete. Both boats took the bronze in their races.
Tokyo Bound
Austin Hack, a 2014 graduate of Stanford, was selected by USRowing to compete at the Olympics in Tokyo this summer. Hack is the lone returnee among the men's eight for the United States, having finished fourth in Rio in 2016 in the same division. During his time on the farm, Hack was the 2014 Pac-12 Athlete of the Year, as well as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Olympics in Tokyo begin July 23 and run through August 8, with the rowing events slated for July 23-30.