ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Following a 2021 campaign that concluded with the Navy heavyweight rowing program finishing sixth in the Ten Eyck team point standings and tenth in the first varsity eight classification, the first-ever Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-American announcement saw a trio of Midshipmen recognized. Rising seniors Griffin Dunne (Northfield, Ill.) and Will Geib (Portland, Ore.) were named IRCA Second Team All-Americans, while their classmate Matt Catanoso (Seaville, N.J.) earned a spot on the honorable mention team.

Dunne and Geib rowed as part of "the engine" of Navy's first varsity eight crew in the fifth and sixth seats, respectively in 2021. Catanoso served as the conductor of the first varsity eight this spring as the boat's coxswain. During the regular season, the Mids' V8 boat earned victories over No. 13 George Washington, No. 14 Drexel, R/V Saint Joseph's and Jacksonville and were edged by 0.8 seconds in a near photo finish with No. 7 Boston University on April 25. At the IRA National Championships in late May in West Windsor, N.J., Navy raced its way into the petite final and placed tenth overall in the nation with a time of 6:19.289. For their individual efforts both in competition and in training Dunne and Geib were selected to the United States' Under-23 team, that will race in the Czech Republic, July 7-11.

This is the first time that men's rowing as a sport has acknowledged its top performing athletes through the All-American program. In order to be named an All-American, rowers and coxswains must have been nominated by their institution and raced in the team's first varsity boat during the spring. The nominees were then selected to the first, second or honorable mention teams based on the strength of the first varsity's finish at the IRA's, as well as coach comments, individual achievements and erg scores. In total, 73 rowers and coxswain were named as either IRCA First Team All-Americans, IRCA Second Team All-Americans or IRCA Honorable Mention All-Americans across the ranks of heavyweight and lightweight crew in 2021.