CAMDEN, N.J.- The Franklin & Marshall men's rowing team competed in the Knecht Cup Regatta on Saturday and Sunday, the program's second event of the spring. The event was highlighted by a fifth place finish in the Varsity 8+ Division II/III Final, as well as a 6th place finish in the Varsity 4+ DII/DIII Final. 

"It was a good weekend for racing, with both men's crews making it to their respective Grand Final," said Head Coach Bob Brady. "We've been able to see some real development this year from the men's program, and that's starting to translate to real racing out on the water."

F&M entered one Varsity 8+ crew and one Varsity 4+ crew into the regatta, with heats on Saturday seeding Sunday's finals.

F&M's Varsity 8+ crew entered the weekend ranked #14 among Division III crews by the IRCA/IRA following the team's 6:17.8 time set at the Skidmore Sprints last weekend. This weekend, the team's Varsity 8+ lineup featured, from bow to stern, Jacob Ripperger, Peter Kutscher, Saul Schoenholtz, Max Taxter, Max Goldman, Aemon Cameron, Tai Jespersen, Moemen Ibrahim, and Mithayus Diaz as coxswain. On Saturday, the crew set a time of 6:30.33 to claim second place in the heat and a spot in Sunday's Division II/III Final. On Sunday, they earned fifth place in 6:27.26.

The Diplomats' Varsity 4+ lineup included, from bow to stern, Gordon Clifford, Ahmed Sherif Harris Zhang, Zaeem Zia, and Kunaal Chatterjee as coxswain. On Saturday, the Varsity 4+ claimed fourth in their heat with a time of 8:50.60 ahead of a sixth-place finish in the Division II/III Final in 9:15.88 on Sunday.

F&M competes next Saturday, April 18, facing Villanova in the Upper Schuylkill Challenge.