2007 Men's Season Outlook
With a young crew on deck this season, the Clark University men’s rowing team made significant strokes throughout the year. Prior to the season, Russ Giacobbe, Andrew Gager, Horia Kraus, Josh Cohen and Mike Hardie participated in the C.R.A.S.H. B’s, the indoor rowing championships, in Boston.
The men’s novice four began its career with a gold medal at the New Hampshire Championships this fall. In the seven-boat event, the team of Elena DeStefano, Nicky Boyne, Wes Dunkel, Andrew Gager, and Mike Haride took first place in a time of 17:02. Closing out the fall session at the Head of the Charles, Coxswain Heather Larson, Russell Giacobbe, Tom Valleau, Andrew Gager, and Peter Dunkel had a strong showing in the men's club four. The crew placed 28th of 34 (20:27).
In the first regatta of the season, Clark had its best showing in the second men’s varsity race, where they were runner-up to Connecticut College with a time of 8:00.8. The men’s varsity four raced to a fifth place finish (7:49.2) and later found themselves ranked 17th out of 23 in the New England Rowing Coaches Poll. The regionally ranking was warranted when the four outlasted Wentworth Institute of Technology with a time of 7:36.3 in a two-boat race the following week. Coxswain Leah Block, Russell Giacobbe, Andrew Gager, Josh Cohen, and Tom Valleau manned the winning boat
Concluding the season at the New England Championships, the men’s four placed fourth in their heat (7:22.0).
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2007 WOMEN'S ROWING RECAP
After a slow start, the Clark University women’s rowing team came on strong towards the end. The women used a trio of races, including a regatta, the New Hampshire Championships and the Head of the Charles to prep for a challenging spring season.
The varsity eight placed third out of four boats with a time of 7:47.0 in its opening regatta and went on to claim the 17th spot in the New England Rowing Coaches Poll. Despite high winds and low temperatures, both the varsity eight and varsity four boats participated in its second regatta placing fifth (8:18.6) and third (10:11.6), respectively.
The Cougars’ results showed steady improvement in the next three races. The varsity eight team of coxswain Christina Lyman, Sarah Brooks, Kasia Baca, Sara Fealhaber, Kate Dorsey, Rebecca Smith, Mika Kuwahara, Rachel Godin, and Missy Berger raced to a 7:52.49 finish at the NEWMAC Championships, 7:48.3 at the following regatta, and a 7:25.9 heat, the fastest-time in head coach Erick Thiemke’s four-year tenure, at the New England Rowing Championships - where Clark competed in the third level final with a third place (7:26.6) performance.
The Cougar women’s rowing team led all spring programs with three placed on the All-Academic squad. Sophomores Jessica Baker and juniors Sara Brooks and Sarah Fealhaber earned the honor.
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THIEMKE PROMOTED TO FULL-TIME ROWING COACH AT CLARK
 After serving in a part-time capacity the past four years, Erick Thiemke has been promoted to the first full-time men’s and women’s rowing head coach in the Clark University Athletic Department.
“I am thrilled to have been elevated to full-time status at Clark,” said Thiemke. “I have spent the last four years developing the program and improving its competitiveness throughout the region. It’s exciting to continue the work on a constant and consistent level.”
Thiemke has led the Cougars to a pair of consecutive ECAC Championship (2004-05) appearances, where the women's varsity four qualified for the finals and finished sixth overall in 2004.
“Erick has worked tirelessly throughout his tenure and his efforts have steadily improved Clark rowing,” said Athletic Director Linda Moulton. “He deserves the opportunity to continue building the program. Additionally, he will also bring several skills to the department that will be very beneficial.”
Originally from Mendon, Mass., Thiemke competed two seasons on the club rowing team at WPI, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology. He was also a one-year participant on the Worcester State College squad before obtaining a second Bachelor’s in Business Administration.
Prior to joining the athletic staff full-time, Thiemke was the Coordinator for the Clark One Card Services in the University’s business office. He also served as the head club coach at Worcester State College (2000-02) and as an assistant at Amherst College (2002-03).
Thiemke hopes to make a direct impact in both Cougar programs, striving to finish in the top half of the NEWMAC in the women’s varsity eight and to place top-six in the men’s varsity four at the New England Championships.
“I’m looking forward to more one-on-one time with my student-athletes,” Thiemke said. “Now that I am full-time, I’m hopeful that my accessibility will lead to better retention and more motivation to succeed.”
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2007 MEN'S & WOMEN'S ROWING TEAM TRAVEL TO FLORIDA FOR SPRING BREAK TRAINING
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Men's & Women's Rowing Office
Erick Thiemke, Head Coach, 508-793-7516
Email: ethiemke@clarku.edu
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2007 MEN'S ROWING RECAP
