The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

The independent student newspaper of Northeastern University

The Huntington News

Rowers to audition for US team

By By Kirby Morrison, News correspondent

Two current and three former Northeastern rowers are going to the US National Team Selection Camps June 12 in Oklahoma City.
Sophomore Mike Iannazzo and junior Brad Bertoldo will head to Oklahoma City to compete for spots on the Under 23 National Team roster. Graduates Dan Walsh (2002), who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Bejing Olympics, Will Miller (2007), and Bill Benjamin (2008) will compete for spots on the Senior National Team roster.
‘Both [Iannazzo and Bertoldo] deserve to be selected,’ men’s coach John Pojednic said. ‘Both guys have trained very hard and take rowing very seriously. They clearly stack up with some of the best college rowers in the US. That’s what the camp is all about, taking the best college rowers and selecting them for international competition.’
Bertoldo, from San Jose, Calif., won the Parker Award for outstanding freshman in 2007 and was honored as the Most Improved Oarsman in 2008.
Bertoldo said he is eagerly anticipating the camp.
‘I’m not that nervous, I’m more excited,’ Bertoldo said. ‘Either way it’s going to be a good experience. I want to take rowing as far as I can, to the highest level.’
Iannazzo, from Salisbury, rows in the five seat in the second varsity boat. He said he found out about the invitation in a surprising fashion:’ Bertoldo saw his name alongside Iannazzo’s on the list of the 25 college rowers invited to the Under 23 Camp, and decided to call his teammate and let him know.
‘I thought he was joking around with me,’ Iannazzo said. ‘He told me to go check a computer and I saw the list online and I was kind of shell-shocked by the whole situation.’
Those chosen at the camps will compete July 23 to 26 at the International Rowing Federation (FISA) World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic.
Former Husky Dan Walsh, from Norwalk, Conn., is no stranger to these camps. He was a member of the National Rowing team from 2001 to 2008. His boat finished third in the Eights event in the 2006 World Championships in Great Britain with a time of 5:24.14, and he received a bronze medal for the same event in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with a time of 5:25.34. He also made the US Junior National Team in 1997. Walsh is being inducted into the Northeastern Hall of Fame this year as his storied Northeastern career included winning the Parker Award for outstanding freshman in 1998 as well as being honored as the Outstanding Varsity Oarsman in 1999 and 2001.
Former Huskies Will Miller and Bill Benjamin will compete together for roster spots in the Senior Quad selection camps for the first time. Miller, from Duxbury, was captain of the Northeastern squad in 2006 and was named the Most Improved Oarsman in 2004 as well as the Outstanding Varsity Oarsman in 2006. Benjamin, from West Palm Beach, Fla., was named the Most Improved Oarsman in 2007 and the Outstanding Varsity Oarsman after transferring to Northeastern from North Florida College in Jacksonville in 2006.
As Northeastern has its sights set on a strong performance in the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships June 4 to 6, the five Huskies chosen will head into their selection camps well prepared and with hopes of making the US National Team.
‘It’ll be really demanding, they’ll be training two to three times a day,’ Pojednic said.
Pojednic said he feels the chances of them being named to the National rosters are very solid. A total of 13 boats make up the national roster, which will be finalized no later than August 10.

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