(November 8, 2005) The ECAC has announced Boston Universitys Rodney Pratt as the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges (EARC) Coach of the Year for the 2005 season. The vote took place at the annual EARC Coaches Meeting in Boston,Mass.
Pratt, in his 16th year as the Mens Head Coach of the Terriers, led his heavyweight team to its best ever finish at the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond last May.
The mens varsity eight boat, seeded ninth, finished fourth overall in the grand final. With their fourth-place finish in the heavyweight race, a fifth in the freshmen eights, and an eighth in the second varsity event, the Terriers had their best overall finish ever in the 60-year history of the Sprints. The tallied a fourth place finish in the Rowe Cup.
At the annual Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Regatta on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J., the Terrier varsity heavyweight and freshman eight each finished sixth in the Grand Finals.
The Terriers successful 2005 spring campaign also included wins over Syracuse, Rutgers, Columbia, Wisconsin and MIT, while their only losses came to Northeastern in the Arlett Cup and toDartmouthin a tri-race at Rutgers. In the process, BU earned its first Jablonic Cup (versus Wisconsin and MIT) since 1995.
The 2006 EARC Mens Sprint will take place May 21 on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.