Video: Men’s rowing at the IRA National Championship Regatta

It was a year to remember for the Bates rowing program.

The women won the NCAA championship for the third time in the last four years and the men qualified for the IRA National Championship for the first time in school history.

The Bobcats traveled to Mercer Lake, N.J., to take on the likes of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Washington, and CAL, the true giants of collegiate rowing.

“I shook hands with one guy and I swear his hand was bigger than my head,” said senior bow Joshua Bilchik of Brookline, Mass.

But after sizing up the competition, it was time to race.

With the greatest season in program history wrapped up, the nine men’s rowing seniors reflected on their time at Bates.

“Some of my teammates I’ve known for a year, some of them I’ve known for four,” said senior Roddy Pratt ’18 of Arlington, Mass. “And along with being great teammates, they’ve been incredible friends.”

“I’ve learned a lot from them in many different ways and I hope I’ve taught them something too. But yeah, I’ll miss them all.”