CENTERVILLE, Mass. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the National Invitational Rowing Championship (NIRC) Stewards recently announced the 2013-14 All-ECAC NIRC teams. A total of 42 student-athletes were chosen from 27 institutions, including Mount Holyoke College's Hannah Arbach. This is the second straight season of All-ECAC NIRC honors for Arbach.
A native of Springfield, Va., Arbach served in the stroke position for the Lyons' varsity eight this season. As the stroke, it is her responsibility to establish the crew's rate (number of strokes per minute) and rhythm during a race. This season, Arbach helped power the varsity eight to a number of strong efforts.
Among the top performances was at the 2013 Seven Sisters Championship, where the varsity eight finished fourth in its race. Combined with victories from the novice and second varsity eight boats, Mount Holyoke finished runner-up in the five-team field. For her efforts, Arbach was named to the Seven Sisters All-Championship Varsity team.
Arbach, who was a captain this season, saw her crew open the spring campaign with a victory in the Petite Final at Tufts. The boat went on to claim back-to-back victories the following weekend.
In a tri-regatta on Lake Quinsigamond, the varsity eight powered its way to a time of 7:01.7, pushing past UVM (7:16.8) and the Cougars (7:21.2) by an impressive margin.
The Lyons then finished first overall the next day, beating out five other boats, including conference-rivals Simmons and Clark. MHC recorded a time of 7:07.4 for the win, edging out Simmons (7:07.7). Union (7:11.1), Franklin & Marshall (7:14.7), Clark (7:30.5) and UMass-Lowell (7:50.1) rounded out the six-boat field on the on the 2,000-meter course. For their efforts, the varsity eight was named the NEWMAC Boat of the Week.
MHC's varsity eight went on to finish fifth at the NEWMAC Championships – with Arbach and first year Meghan Ryan earning NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team recognition.
The former Lake Braddock Secondary School graduate, who was also a NEWMAC All-Conference selection in 2012-13, also helped the varsity eight to 15th overall at both the New England Rowing Championship and the ECAC Championship, to conclude the 2013-14 season.
