INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Drake Rowing took another step forward Sunday at the MACRA Championship Regatta, turning in a strong day of racing at Eagle Creek against a competitive field.

The Bulldogs showed growth throughout the regatta and put together two standout performances in the grand finals. Drake's novice four earned a silver medal, while the varsity four claimed bronze. The varsity eight also continued to make progress, making up ground on crews that had been ahead of the Bulldogs earlier in the season.

Head coach Charlie DiSilvestro said the team continued to learn what it takes to race at a championship level as the day went on.

"The team really stepped up and took another step toward becoming a championship-level program," DiSilvestro said. "As the regatta went on, they learned how to get faster, and I thought we did a really good job of that. We still have a little room to grow, but they now understand the difference between heats and finals and when you have to mentally push harder and row more sharply from a technical standpoint, because everybody brings their best in the grand final."

DiSilvestro said Drake's ability to adjust throughout the day was one of the most encouraging takeaways from the regatta.

"That was really the last piece of the puzzle we needed to put together as a team, and I'm proud of the way they responded," DiSilvestro said. "Our varsity four earned a bronze medal in the grand final, and our novice four took silver in the grand final. I'm really proud of how the whole team raced. The varsity four had a great race, and the varsity eight made up a lot of ground on teams that were ahead of us earlier in the season."

Following the regatta, Drake adjusted its focus based on what it learned in Indianapolis.

"After this regatta, we decided that for the Dad Vail National Championship, we'll focus on the varsity four and novice four," DiSilvestro said.

Up Next
Drake will return to action May 8-9 at the Dad Vail Regatta in Camden, N.J.