The Jesuit Crew Spring Season has been built on the stable belief that the will to win means nothing without the will to prepare. Through countless training sessions and hours of work, the team has proven itself not only on the regional stage, but also on the national stage. Because of this, Jesuit’s crew season can be defined as one of great growth with countless opportunities to learn from their mistakes.
Heart of Texas Regatta
Saturday, February 28
The Heart of Texas Regatta in Austin, Texas, was a race that truly showed what Jesuit crew could do coming out of a strong fall season. Starting with the Men’s 2V 4, consisting of Nikhil Shah ’27, Fabian Garcia ’27, Noah Walsh ’27, and Dominic Broome ’27, the boat led the field in their heat, obtaining third and moving onto the final, where they got sixth with a time of 3:45.50 in a competitive field. Next, the Men’s U-17 8+ stayed competitive as well, gaining second in their heat and third in their final. These two crews showed consistency and set the standard for the weekend.
As Saturday afternoon rolled on, the Men’s 1V 4+ A and B boats took the water, as the boat stroked by Senior Captain Jackson Gregg ’26 carried his shell to third, advancing to the final. Although the other four, stroked by Caleb Knight ’28, pushed hard in a competitive field, they ended the race in fourth, impressive for such a young crew. The 1V 4+ final resulted in Jesuit claiming their second set of medals for the season, gaining third and falling shortly behind OKC’s A and B boats. As Saturday came to a close, the hardworking and committed athletes that raced set the tone for the day to come.
Sunday, March 1
On Sunday morning, the Jesuit crew athletes racing represented the team’s overall growth during their winter training, as the U-17 4+ and Men’s Novice 4s performed well in a strong field, placing second and fourth in their heats, respectively. Soon after, the novices switched into the full caliber Men’s Novice 8+ A and B boats as they flew down the course, both managing to qualify for finals. Finally, the Men’s 1V 8+, consisting of Seniors Jackson Gregg, Barrett Gibbins ’26, and Jesus Rosales ’26 qualified for their final by getting second in their race among a stacked field. As the morning flew by, the afternoon brought results that prepared the team for success later in the season.
To start off the finals for Jesuit crew, the Men’s 2V 8+ challenged themselves to make the most of their race, despite being a mix of novice sophomores and experienced juniors, and managed to finish sixth in a stacked field. Next, the Men’s U-17 4+ and the Men’s Novice 4+ took to the water, resulting in fifth and second places in their respective fields. Finally, the Men’s Novice 8+ A and B boats raced for their final, resulting in the first novice eight gold after a considerable time and a fourth place finish from the B boat, showing the consistency of the freshman class throughout the year.
Finally, the Men’s 1V 8+ was the highlight of the regatta as the Rangers took third in a competitive regional field with the time of 3:01.90, the fastest time Jesuit has ever clocked in for the Heart of Texas Regatta. Overall, this regatta not only represented the work the Rangers put in over the winter, but also set the expectation for the spring racing to come.
“Depth showed this weekend, now the standard is consistency.” – Head Coach Eli Brown
USRowing Central Youth Championships
Friday, May 1
As the last race for most of the Jesuit crew athletes, the Central Youth Regionals in Oklahoma City, OK did not disappoint due to their competitive spirit. To start off the weekend, the Men’s Youth 8+ and U17 8+ took to the water, managing to achieve fourth and third in their time trials, respectively. Soon after, the 1V split into two Men’s Youth 4s, as one qualified for the final and the other came just short due to conditions, finishing in fourth and seventh, respectively. To close the day, the Men’s Youth 2x, consisting of Sebastian Perales ’28 and Junior Nikhil Shah, put up a strong fight in their time trial, only to fall short of the final with a time of 8:37.49. As the day ended and Saturday morning arose, the tone was set for Jesuit crew.
Saturday, May 2
When Saturday morning rolled around, the three Men’s Youth Novice Eights were ready to take the course for their time trial. This race resulted in all three boats qualifying for the final as the Sophomore Novice Eight finished in second, the first Freshman Novice Eight finished in fourth, and the second Freshman Novice Eight finished in sixth, a strong showing of the novices’ growing progress over the season. That afternoon, the Men’s 1V 8+ rowed their final against the top crews in the region, showing resilience and power in their strokes. Although they were in medal contention for over halfway through the race, they fell just short of bronze, finishing fourth with a time of 6:37.30.
Following that race, the Men’s U-17 8+ took the water for their final, finishing third in a highly competitive field and representing the team’s first medals of the regatta. To finish off Saturday, the Men’s Youth 4+, represented by Jackson Gregg, John Veselka ’28, Barrett Gibbins, Noah Fahrenbruch ’27, and Nathan Hofmann ’27, competed in their final, obtaining third against stacked competition. Overall, Saturday represented what Jesuit crew could do on a regional level, but also demonstrated that there was more work to be done.
Sunday, May 3
The last day of regionals for Jesuit crew was Sunday. As the last races commenced, Jesuit crew sent their three Novice Eights back on the water as they rowed up for their final. The final, though full of competition, was cut short due to an interference from a crew rowing up to the start line, resulting in a re-row. In the previous final, the first Freshman Novice Eight, stroked by Nate Mallinson ’29, finished in first, followed by Austin Rowing Club and the Sophomore Novice Eight, stroked by Barrett Comer ’28, also followed by the second Freshman Novice Eight that was stroked by Grayson Gibbins ’29.
In the true final, the results stayed consistent, resulting in the first gold in the Novice Eight in four years, a hallmark that proved Jesuit crew’s presence on a regional stage. Overall, the regatta exposed the strengths and weaknesses of the squad as a whole and set a goal in the athletes’ minds: to come back stronger next year and make it to nationals.
“What you see on race day is built over time. Every athlete in this program contributed to what we saw this weekend. The results matter, but the growth across the team and the way they continue to push one another forward matters more.” – Head Coach Eli Brown
Stotesbury Cup Regatta
Friday, 5/15
The 99th Annual Stotesbury Cup Regatta challenged the team to make a statement on the national stage but also set the tone for the summer and the upcoming fall semester. Friday morning resulted in great standings from the squad, as the Freshman 8+ qualified for the semifinals that afternoon with an astounding time of 5:07.04, setting the tone for the day to come. Soon after, the Junior 4+, rowed by Boston Lewis ’28, Caleb Knight, Owen Kubulak ’27, Jett Pruitt ’27, and coxed by Sunil Shah ’27, led the field in their time trial, finishing fourth out of 55 boats. Later that afternoon, the Senior 4+ showed what Jesuit consistently practiced for over the months, placing 13th in a race full of the nation’s best rowers. With all crews set to row in the semifinals that evening or the next day, an attitude of determination stuck in the minds of the athletes.
Friday evening, the Rangers raced two boats on the water in the semifinals: the Freshman Eight and the Junior Four. For the freshmen, it was unfortunately their last race of the season, resulting in a third place finish in their semifinal, obtaining ninth in the country. Soon after, the Junior Four took the stage and, with power and courage, managed to qualify for their final by getting second in their semifinal. With these results, Jesuit crew represented what it means to get out in front early and to not stay comfortable.
“This past weekend was a great start to what we’re trying to accomplish as a team. Now we must use this momentum to make us faster in the upcoming season.” – Boston Lewis ’28
Saturday, 5/16
Saturday, the last full day of racing for Jesuit crew, resulted in finishes that defined what the squad needs to work on over the summer to perform well in the fall. The morning started with the Senior Four, a crew full of poise and commitment to the sport. At the start of their race, they were up in front of crews that had placed amazingly well at nationals, showing that what Jesuit had worked on over the season had paid off. However, their efforts came up short, as they finished fourth in a field with years of experience, unable to make it to their final. Because it was the seniors’ last race, it was known to them that they had to give it their all, something that Jesuit crew strives for every day.
Finally, to end off the campaign for Jesuit crew at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta was the Junior Four. They had a strong race at the start, but a significant wake threw all of the crews off guard, resulting in a sixth-place finish in the final. This race not only defined what was possible for that boat, but also the lessons that needed to be learned to have a successful season in the next year. As Sunday rolled around and the Rangers flew back home, one thing was set on their minds for the summer: to train hard, get stronger, and prepare to win next season.
“Stotesbury exposes every weakness a crew has. The speed was there this weekend, but so were the lessons. At this level, races become chaotic, and distractions enter the environment. Learning how to remain composed and execute regardless of circumstance is what allows programs to continue moving forward nationally. I believe this group now has a much clearer understanding of what is required moving forward.” – Head Coach Eli Brown
The Jesuit Crew Banquet
As the season came to a close, the Jesuit Crew team had a banquet to recognize those who excelled this year on the freshmen and varsity side, and also to recognize Eli Brown, as he has stepped down from the Head Coach position. Below are the names of the awards chosen for athletes on both the freshman and varsity squads:
The Freshmen Squad
- The MVP award: Nate Mallinson ’29
- The Hammer award: Matthew Brady ’29
- The Ranger Heart award: Tate Armentrout ’29
- The Most Improved award: Shay Wang ’29
The Varsity Squad
- The MVP award: Sunil Shah ’27
- The Hammer award: Boston Lewis ’28
- The Ranger Heart award: Nikhil Shah ’27
- The Most Improved award: John Veselka ’28
Finally, the seniors were recognized for their contributions to the team, receiving the Jesuit Crew Oars, both miniature and normal-sized. The banquet also recognized the service of multiple members who made the team what it is today.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Jesuit 2025-26 crew season was full of moments of great triumph, but also full of memories and lessons that form the next squad to come. If you want to view the team’s past successes or learn more about Jesuit crew’s legacy, click this link.
Stay tuned to The Roundup for next year’s Jesuit crew coverage!
Featured Image Credit: Author
