Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
Heavies Welcome The Class of 2024
September 17, 2020 | Heavyweight Rowing
While the 2020 season was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Princeton men's heavyweight team remained busy.
Floyd Benedikter '23 highlighted a great weekend of racing for the Shea Rowing Center as he captured the gold for Germany's 8+ boat at the 2020 European U-23 Rowing Championships a few weeks ago.
Benedikter and his German teammates raced out to a time of 5:44.40, more than three seconds ahead of Romania. Italy took home the bronze, crossing the finish line at 5:48.60. Jelmer Bennema and the Netherlands were fourth (5:50.78).
Now that school has started and things have settled, the team has announced its incoming Class of 2024 … Hanno Brach, Keelan Good, Wes Hirschman, Patrick Long, Nic McAdam, Seth O'Connor, Nic Rath, Nick Taylor, Lachlan Toovey and Zachary Vaschal.
"Our entire team is thrilled to have the class of 2024 as a part of our Tiger Heavies family," said head coach Greg Hughes. "Certainly, they are all very talented athletes, but they are bringing so much more to our team than just ability. They are impressive people with strong character. They love to compete and do the little things right. Their individual values will add to our team's culture as well as our boat speed. Zach, Lachlan, Pat, Seth, Wes, Keelan, Hanno, Nic, Nic and Nick, Welcome to Princeton!"
Hanno Brach
Oberhof, Thuringia, Germany
Giessener Rudergesellschaft 1877: 2019 German, European, World Champion in U-19 4- … German Vice Champion 8+ … State Champion in 2017 in the JMB 1X.
Academic: Abitur.
Personal: Son of Anja Kloeckner and Eric Brach … Has two sisters, Judith and Magdalena.
Keelan Good
Alameda, Calif.
St. Joseph Notre Dame: Senior captain … Stroked two boats to Nationals in Novice year … Holds two boathouse records for the 2K … Lettered in basketball and tennis.
Academic: National Honor Society … Three-time Honor Roll … Two-time High Honor Roll … Nominated for the National Honors Society.
Personal: Son of Sinead Smyth and Jim Good … Has a younger brother, Dylan … Father, Jim, played football at Cal-State Fullerton.
Wes Hirschman
Nashville, Tenn.
Montgomery Bell Academy: Senior captain … Top coxswain for five straight years … Coaches' Award twice … Most Valuable Rower … Squad's first rower to be collegiately recruited … Team was a three-time SRAA qualifier and was fifth in the lightweight 4+ in 2018 … Member of the Model UN, Youth in Government, TEAMS, Yearbook Committee.
Academic: Cum Laude Society … National Merit Commended Scholar … Nine-time Highest Subject Grade … Warner Grant Recipient … Midwest Scholastic Rowing Academic Athlete Award.
Personal: Son of Holly and Bill Hirschman … Has a brother, Charlie.
Patrick Long
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rowing Club Name Nudgee College Rowing: Set the Ergo record … Shed Sculler in 2019 …. U-17 Single Scull National Champion twice … Team won the Head of River title in 2017 and 2019, placed second in in 2018 … Schoolboy eight National Bronze medal twice … Team Best Oarsmen three times … Team Ergo Champion from 2017-19 … Also lettered in rugby.
Personal: Son of Donna Maree-Long and Brendan Long …. Has two sisters, Amelia and Erin.
Nic McAdam
Zip Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Bishops Diocesan College: Senior Captain … Won the Gold Medal at the SA U-19 Rowing Championships in the 2X … International Exchange 1X Provincial Colours … Took home another gold in the 2018 SA Schools in the 4- and Silver in the 8X … Team was first in the U-16 4+ and second in the U-16 4+ at the SA Nations … Squad also earned the gold at the 2019 Buffalo National Regatta … 2019 Oarsman of the Year for Bishops and Western Cape … 2018 John Rideout Fellowship Cup … Club Boatman – Vice Captain … Lettered in swimming as well … Prefect of Grade Eight and new students … Prefect in charge of spirituality … Full Leadership colors and distinction.
Academic: Received academic certificates twice.
Western Cape U-19 Development Squad: Western Cape Sculling Champion from 2015-19 … Junior World Trials in 2019 and 2019 … Invited to the New Zealand High Performance squad in 2017.
Personal: Son of Christian Rideout and Russel McAdam … Has an older brother, Andrew.
Seth O'Connor
Main Road, Lacey Green, England
RGS High Wycombe: Squad won two national school titles (2018-19) and junior inter-regional championships (2017-18) … Member of the Politics and History Society … Member of the School Prefects.
Club: Rowed with Maidenhead and Henley Rowing Club … Henley Rowing Club Juniors 2km record … 13th in the 2019 junior world regatta 1x … one of five juniors scullers sent to the Junior World Championships in 2019.
Personal: Son of Lara and Michael Patrick O'Connor … Has a sister, Saoirse and two brothers, Ethan and Soren … Grandfather, Michael James O'Connor, played Gaelic football from 1961-66.
Nic Rath
Putney, New South Wales, Australia
St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill: Australian National Champion in the U-19 4- ... Senior Captain of the Boats 2019.
Academic: Received the School Academic Excellence Award five straight years (2014-18) … Achieved 100% in the Junior Year Advanced Mathematics and 96% as a senior in Advanced Mathematics.
Personal: Son of Deb and Tony Rath … Has a brother Jack.
Australian Junior Rowing: Placed fifth in the A-Final at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships in Japan.
Nick Taylor
Chicago, Ill.
British School of Chicago: Member of the Pauly's Pals, Math Tutor, Working Bikes.
Academic: IB Graduate … IGCSE Graduate
Chicago Rowing Foundation: Two-time captain that had the second-best club 2K erg record … Squad won the 2018 national title in the pair … Won the team Most Valuable Rower twice.
Personal: Son of Ivana and Mike Taylor … Has a sister, Grace, and brother, Joe … Brother, Joe, fences at North Carolina.
Lachlan Toovey
Terramungamine, New South Whales, Australia
Churchie: Senior Vice-Captain … Schoolboy State Champions twice (2018-19) … Third place Schoolboy Interstate Race (Queensland) in 2019 … Junior Class 2018 Oarsman of the Year … Senior Class 2019 Most improved Oarsman … Member of School Prefect and Peer Tutoring Program.
Academic: Leading Scholar Award three times … I.B Corke Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Excellence (2017) … A B Charter Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Excellence (2018) … QUT Science and Engineering Faculty Dean's Award for Engineering Technology Prize (2018) … W M Batesman Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Excellence (2019) … The George Weatherlake Memorial Prize – First in QCE … Mathematics B Subject Prize (2019) … QUT Science and Engineering Faculty Dean's Award for Engineering Technology Prize (2019) … Engineering Technology Prize (2019) … Allan R Townsend Memorial Prize for physics (2019) … Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Achievement Award – Highest achievement by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Student (2019).
Personal: Son of Melissa Fletcher and Michael Toovey … Has a sister, Sopheena, and brother, William.
Zachary Vachal
San Francisco, Calif.
Lick Wilmerding: Coaches' Award … School's Maclab Club.
Pacific Rowing Club: Hold club records for the 2K and 6K erg … Finished fifth at the Youth Nationals in 2019 in 2- and 11th in the 8+.
U.S. Junior National Team: Raced in the 4- in 2018 and 2019, finished as high as sixth.
Personal: Son of Kali Zivitz … Has two brothers, Jackson and Nate.
Floyd Benedikter '23 highlighted a great weekend of racing for the Shea Rowing Center as he captured the gold for Germany's 8+ boat at the 2020 European U-23 Rowing Championships a few weeks ago.
Benedikter and his German teammates raced out to a time of 5:44.40, more than three seconds ahead of Romania. Italy took home the bronze, crossing the finish line at 5:48.60. Jelmer Bennema and the Netherlands were fourth (5:50.78).
Now that school has started and things have settled, the team has announced its incoming Class of 2024 … Hanno Brach, Keelan Good, Wes Hirschman, Patrick Long, Nic McAdam, Seth O'Connor, Nic Rath, Nick Taylor, Lachlan Toovey and Zachary Vaschal.
"Our entire team is thrilled to have the class of 2024 as a part of our Tiger Heavies family," said head coach Greg Hughes. "Certainly, they are all very talented athletes, but they are bringing so much more to our team than just ability. They are impressive people with strong character. They love to compete and do the little things right. Their individual values will add to our team's culture as well as our boat speed. Zach, Lachlan, Pat, Seth, Wes, Keelan, Hanno, Nic, Nic and Nick, Welcome to Princeton!"
Hanno Brach
Oberhof, Thuringia, Germany
Giessener Rudergesellschaft 1877: 2019 German, European, World Champion in U-19 4- … German Vice Champion 8+ … State Champion in 2017 in the JMB 1X.
Academic: Abitur.
Personal: Son of Anja Kloeckner and Eric Brach … Has two sisters, Judith and Magdalena.
Keelan Good
Alameda, Calif.
St. Joseph Notre Dame: Senior captain … Stroked two boats to Nationals in Novice year … Holds two boathouse records for the 2K … Lettered in basketball and tennis.
Academic: National Honor Society … Three-time Honor Roll … Two-time High Honor Roll … Nominated for the National Honors Society.
Personal: Son of Sinead Smyth and Jim Good … Has a younger brother, Dylan … Father, Jim, played football at Cal-State Fullerton.
Wes Hirschman
Nashville, Tenn.
Montgomery Bell Academy: Senior captain … Top coxswain for five straight years … Coaches' Award twice … Most Valuable Rower … Squad's first rower to be collegiately recruited … Team was a three-time SRAA qualifier and was fifth in the lightweight 4+ in 2018 … Member of the Model UN, Youth in Government, TEAMS, Yearbook Committee.
Academic: Cum Laude Society … National Merit Commended Scholar … Nine-time Highest Subject Grade … Warner Grant Recipient … Midwest Scholastic Rowing Academic Athlete Award.
Personal: Son of Holly and Bill Hirschman … Has a brother, Charlie.
Patrick Long
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rowing Club Name Nudgee College Rowing: Set the Ergo record … Shed Sculler in 2019 …. U-17 Single Scull National Champion twice … Team won the Head of River title in 2017 and 2019, placed second in in 2018 … Schoolboy eight National Bronze medal twice … Team Best Oarsmen three times … Team Ergo Champion from 2017-19 … Also lettered in rugby.
Personal: Son of Donna Maree-Long and Brendan Long …. Has two sisters, Amelia and Erin.
Nic McAdam
Zip Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Bishops Diocesan College: Senior Captain … Won the Gold Medal at the SA U-19 Rowing Championships in the 2X … International Exchange 1X Provincial Colours … Took home another gold in the 2018 SA Schools in the 4- and Silver in the 8X … Team was first in the U-16 4+ and second in the U-16 4+ at the SA Nations … Squad also earned the gold at the 2019 Buffalo National Regatta … 2019 Oarsman of the Year for Bishops and Western Cape … 2018 John Rideout Fellowship Cup … Club Boatman – Vice Captain … Lettered in swimming as well … Prefect of Grade Eight and new students … Prefect in charge of spirituality … Full Leadership colors and distinction.
Academic: Received academic certificates twice.
Western Cape U-19 Development Squad: Western Cape Sculling Champion from 2015-19 … Junior World Trials in 2019 and 2019 … Invited to the New Zealand High Performance squad in 2017.
Personal: Son of Christian Rideout and Russel McAdam … Has an older brother, Andrew.
Seth O'Connor
Main Road, Lacey Green, England
RGS High Wycombe: Squad won two national school titles (2018-19) and junior inter-regional championships (2017-18) … Member of the Politics and History Society … Member of the School Prefects.
Club: Rowed with Maidenhead and Henley Rowing Club … Henley Rowing Club Juniors 2km record … 13th in the 2019 junior world regatta 1x … one of five juniors scullers sent to the Junior World Championships in 2019.
Personal: Son of Lara and Michael Patrick O'Connor … Has a sister, Saoirse and two brothers, Ethan and Soren … Grandfather, Michael James O'Connor, played Gaelic football from 1961-66.
Nic Rath
Putney, New South Wales, Australia
St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill: Australian National Champion in the U-19 4- ... Senior Captain of the Boats 2019.
Academic: Received the School Academic Excellence Award five straight years (2014-18) … Achieved 100% in the Junior Year Advanced Mathematics and 96% as a senior in Advanced Mathematics.
Personal: Son of Deb and Tony Rath … Has a brother Jack.
Australian Junior Rowing: Placed fifth in the A-Final at the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships in Japan.
Nick Taylor
Chicago, Ill.
British School of Chicago: Member of the Pauly's Pals, Math Tutor, Working Bikes.
Academic: IB Graduate … IGCSE Graduate
Chicago Rowing Foundation: Two-time captain that had the second-best club 2K erg record … Squad won the 2018 national title in the pair … Won the team Most Valuable Rower twice.
Personal: Son of Ivana and Mike Taylor … Has a sister, Grace, and brother, Joe … Brother, Joe, fences at North Carolina.
Lachlan Toovey
Terramungamine, New South Whales, Australia
Churchie: Senior Vice-Captain … Schoolboy State Champions twice (2018-19) … Third place Schoolboy Interstate Race (Queensland) in 2019 … Junior Class 2018 Oarsman of the Year … Senior Class 2019 Most improved Oarsman … Member of School Prefect and Peer Tutoring Program.
Academic: Leading Scholar Award three times … I.B Corke Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Excellence (2017) … A B Charter Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Excellence (2018) … QUT Science and Engineering Faculty Dean's Award for Engineering Technology Prize (2018) … W M Batesman Memorial Prize for Outstanding Academic Excellence (2019) … The George Weatherlake Memorial Prize – First in QCE … Mathematics B Subject Prize (2019) … QUT Science and Engineering Faculty Dean's Award for Engineering Technology Prize (2019) … Engineering Technology Prize (2019) … Allan R Townsend Memorial Prize for physics (2019) … Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Achievement Award – Highest achievement by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Student (2019).
Personal: Son of Melissa Fletcher and Michael Toovey … Has a sister, Sopheena, and brother, William.
Zachary Vachal
San Francisco, Calif.
Lick Wilmerding: Coaches' Award … School's Maclab Club.
Pacific Rowing Club: Hold club records for the 2K and 6K erg … Finished fifth at the Youth Nationals in 2019 in 2- and 11th in the 8+.
U.S. Junior National Team: Raced in the 4- in 2018 and 2019, finished as high as sixth.
Personal: Son of Kali Zivitz … Has two brothers, Jackson and Nate.
Players Mentioned
/ Heavyweight Rowing
/ Heavyweight Rowing
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