DANBURY, Conn. – For the third time in the last four years, the Cornell men's lightweight rowing program took home a pair of major IRA awards, as the varsity eight and head coach Chris Kerber where named the Lightweight Crew and Coach of the Year, respectively, as was announced this afternoon.
 
The Big Red's varsity eight was deservedly voted Lightweight Crew of the Year after capping their undefeated season by earning the Men's Lightweight National Championship in impressive fashion, defeating runner-up Penn by nearly a second. Cornell's varsity eight was named the EARC Lightweight Crew of the Year earlier this summer, with all nine members earning first-team All-Ivy honors, after posting a winning time of 5:40.808 at the EARC Sprints to earn the 12th Wright Trophy in program history. The Big Red defeated second-place Harvard (5:41.656) by just under one second giving Cornell its 11th Ivy League championship as well.
 
In his ninth season at the helm, Kerber earns his third Men's Lightweight Coach of the Year. Over the span of the past four seasons, he has guided Cornell to three undefeated seasons, three Ivy League Championships, three EARC Championships and three IRA National Championships.
 
The Henry E. Bartels '48 Head Coach of Men's Lightweight Rowing continues to add to his postseason accolades as he also took home top honors as the Ivy League Lightweight Coach of the Year, as well as the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges Lightweight Coach of the Year.
 
The Big Red lightweight varsity eight and Coach Kerber are currently preparing for their opening round of racing in the Henley Royal Regatta, held June 28 to July 2.