'With talent comes expectations': Penn heavyweight rowing returns to action

Penn heavyweight rowing opened its fall season with an impressive set of results at the Navy Day Regatta.

Rowing on a sunny day in the familiar waters of the Schuylkill River, Penn’s A boat placed first out of 26 in the 4000-meter race with a time of 12:35.67, with the B and C boats coming in second and fourth with times of 12:50.11 and 13:05.07, respectively.

“We’re starting in a good place,” coach Al Monte, who begins his third year as the head of the Penn program, said.

Following seven years at Dartmouth, Monte joined the Quakers in 2022 and quickly made his mark with the Red and Blue. In just his first year, the Quakers won the Clayton W. Chapman Trophy, and Monte became the 2023-24 recipient of the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association’s Leadership Award soon after. He’s also been the finalist for the Division I Coach of the Year honor each year during his Penn tenure.

“This is the most talented the team has been since I’ve been here,” Monte said. “With talent comes expectations.” 

With a strong returning class, including three All-American rowers as well as a dynamic group of freshmen, there are high hopes for the coming year. 

“We’re trying to put ourselves in the conversation amongst the best,” Monte said.

The Quakers are hoping to continue the success they found last season, after finishing ninth at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships. With only one of the top 24 varsity rowers having graduated in the spring, the team has a strong foundation that will help propel it forward in the coming races.

“We had a lot of guys coming back from the top boat last season,” junior Lars Finlayson said.

The freshman class is also expected to play a critical role, with four freshmen already competing in the Collegiate 8+ at the Navy Day Regatta. 

‘“This is a talented freshman group,” Monte said, smiling as he reflected on how the team has worked to successfully utilize the strength of the new class. Junior George Rodgers also complimented the recent additions.

“They’re a good group of freshmen; they’re all good guys,” Rodgers said, adding that “they come from around the world … which is kinda new for us.”

Over half of the new freshman class comes from overseas, and the crew expressed their eagerness to work and grow alongside them.

At the end of the day, Monte reflected, “We have to do us.” He’ll be working with the team throughout the remainder of the fall season to continue building their fitness and overall power, looking to carry that over into the spring season.

Rodgers says he’s excited for the team to “step it up a notch” and is thankful for the good dynamic the team has for the season.