NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Union College men's crew team raced at the Novak Memorial Metropolitan Championship and was one of four Division-III schools competing along with five Division-I crews Saturday afternoon at the annual regatta hosted by Iona University.

The Garnet Chargers had three boats on the water and all entered in the same event, posting three of the top-four finishes in the Men's Varsity 8+ race. Union was the only DIII school in the event as well. 

Sophomore Erika Canaveral led Union's First Varsity 8+ crew to a second-place finish along with senior Sam Flynn (stroke), senior Ben Stern (7 seat), senior Erik Roberts (6 seat), junior Stuart Livingston (5 seat), junior Tyler Perry (4 seat), junior Wolfgang Bodge (3 seat), junior Angus Hall (2 seat), and senior Josh Atkinson (bow). Canaveral's eight crossed the finish line in 6:32.64, just 4.44 second behind first-place Iona. 

The Garnet Chargers' Second Varsity 8+ boat placed third with sophomore Daniel Vega (stroke), senior Nick Meyer (7 seat), junior Ben Tohanczyn (6 seat), first-year Ben Grassi (5 seat), first-year Ben Kittelberger (4 seat), junior Kenny Kromer (3 seat), junior Reed Will (2 seat), and senior Cody Morrison (bow) led by senior Khadija Amir. The Second Varsity 8+ crew was also across the line in under seven minutes. 

In fourth place, crossing the line 12.45 seconds after Union's Second Varsity 8+ boat, sophomore Elizabeth Canaveral guided Union's Third Varsity 8+ boat with first-year Nate Nguyen (stroke), first-year Samar Rokkam (7 seat), senior Jack Savage (6 seat), first-year Thomas Unkles (5 seat), first-year Jesse Balboni (4 seat), first-year Taekjin Jeong (3 seat), first-year Nicholas Livingston (2 seat), and sophomore Ian Porter (bow). The Third Varsity 8+ crew made it across the line with a time of 7:03.80. 

All three Union boats finished ahead of fifth-place Manhattan (7:29.75) and sixth-place Binghamton (7:37.46). 

After the strong showing against DI crews Saturday, the Garnet Chargers will race on Friday, May 8 in Pennsauken, N.J. at the Dad Vail Regatta.