JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It has been more than 380 days since the Jacksonville University men's rowing team last saw action against outside competition, but that changes Saturday morning at the Negaard Rowing Center as the Dolphins welcome Stetson to town for the first event of the 2021 season.
"It's great to finally be able to get back out on a course and do some racing," said head coach Jason Cottingham. "It's been over a year since the guys have been able to get out there so we are all excited and thankful for the opportunity. We didn't have any guys stay and utilize the extra year of eligibility from the NCAA which is a loss not having that experience stick around. However, I consider it as the ultimate success of our squad, as they were all lined up for graduate school or jobs right after graduation."
"It'll be a special day for the seniors being their last first race of the spring season, so we are all excited to be with them and fight with them out there on the course. Stetson will bring a well-coached and well-polished crew to town. They have grown a lot in the past 4 years and it will take our best to come out on top. They historically have shown a lot of speed early in the season so it should be a great day to see fast boats and a great opportunity to see speed this early in the season."
"Overall, as a coaching staff it has been an absolute privilege to have front row seats to watch the growth of the guys and the team as we all have weathered this storm. Now we are excited to see where we can go from here!"
