HADLEY, Mass. – The New England Small College Athletic Conference announced the 2021 Men's All-NESCAC Crew Team. The 10-member First and Second Teams are comprised of individuals from the league's eight teams and based on each team's finish at the NESCAC Championship and East/West Regional races.
NESCAC Men's Champion Williams placed four individuals on the All-NESCAC First Team, with sophomores
Nick Ambeliotis (Gloucester, Mass.) and Tad Montesano (Groton, Mass.), senior
Nick Beischer (Durham, N.C.), and first-year
Isabelle Shah (coxswain) (Brookline, Mass.) all receiving recognition. Two Eph seniors were named to the All-NESCAC Second Team; senior
Peter Fousek (Rhinecliffe, N.Y.) and Matt Schleifman (New York, N.Y.).
Mandel was quick to credit his team members and his assistant
Graham Marks for being honored by NESCAC. "
Nick Beischer has rowed in our first eight throughout his entire time at Williams, including his first year as a novice walk-on, a rare feat in our sport. He is a steady presence on our team and a hungry competitor."
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Nick Ambeliotis is currently the strongest athlete on the team, but more importantly, he has made great strides this spring on how to better transfer his power on the water," noted Mandel. "
Tad Montessano as the stroke seat in the first eight sets the rhythm for the crew, and is really unflappable, a critical trait for someone stroking a young crew such as ours." Mandel added, "The results from race day are really decided by what a crew does during a week in practice.
Isabelle Shah has done a tremendous job of bringing intensity to the coxswain seat day in and day out, and our athletes really feed off of her energy."
Mandel lauded his Second Team honorees seniors
Peter Fousek and Matt Schleifman stating, "I have had so much fun this spring watching Peter and Matt set an aggressive rhythm for our second boat. They are experienced boat movers and dedicated leaders of our team."
Marc Mandel in his fourth year at the helm of the Ephs was voted NESCAC Men's Coach of the Year by his peers. Mandel guided the Ephs to their first NECAC Championship since 2016 and the Ephs' ninth NESCAC title overall. Asked for a comment on his NESCAC Coach of the Year award Mandel offered, "It is an honor to be named NESCAC Men's Rowing Coach of the Year, and this recognition should be shared equally by my assistant coach,
Graham Marks, and our entire team, as the award is truly a reflection on their efforts."
Mandel's Ephs were ranked 20
th in the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA) national poll that includes boats from all three NCAA divisions in the poll prior to the NESCAC Championship race. Winning the NESCAC title boosted the Ephs to 19
th in the most recent IRC poll.
