Timothy Pierce '21 & Karthik Krishnan '25

Following a strong showing at the Head of the Charles, the Varsity Men maintained the intensity in the weeks leading up to the Head of the Hooch. We pushed the mileage higher, and the guys met that challenge head-on. After splitting into two fours for the Charles, we were eager to put the V8 together for one of the first times this season and see what kind of speed we could find. This year’s Varsity Men’s squad is one of the smallest we’ve fielded in recent memory, just over two eights of guys, but the depth and competitiveness across the group have been incredible to watch. 

Every lineup we’ve boated this fall has shown speed and fight. At the Hooch, those qualities were on full display. The Varsity Men were the only collegiate team to podium in both the eight and the four, a feat that we haven’t accomplished since before COVID. Doing so with only three returners from last year’s V8 makes the result even more special. It’s a testament to the grit, adaptability, and hunger of this group. To add to the achievements of the weekend, the team also won the Championship 4, got second in both the Open 8 and the Open 2-, and secured a bronze in the Open 4.

Despite a small team, the novice and varsity men placed second in the men’s collegiate points trophy. We're very proud of the team’s performance at Hooch. At the start of the season, the fitness was far from where it needed to be, and we made it clear that in order to have a successful fall season, the squad had work to do; every day, the team showed up to practice ready to get faster. We are excited to celebrate a successful weekend, but look forward to getting to work during the winter as we look ahead to ACRA. Go Jackets.

Anne-Marie DeBacker '04

Early on a November morning in 2025, I found a rare chance to drink from the fountain of youth. It came in the form of an alumni eight at the Head of the Hooch Regatta. Our boat represented more than twenty-five years of Georgia Tech rowing history, a fact proudly reflected in our collection of unis and JLs. Linked by the shared bond of GT Crew, we moved together with strength and rhythm. We found our swing and crossed the finish line with a powerful sprint and big smiles.

The best way to describe the experience is pure giddy euphoria. Walking past the trailers and weaving between boats on slings at 6 a.m. felt like stepping into a time capsule of some of the happiest memories of my life. Sarah Nastasi (’22) set the rhythm with absolute professionalism, keeping our strokes in perfect sync. Powerhouses Joy Smith (’02) and Rhiannon Jones (’00) were absolute hammers behind me, laying down the watts like it was still race season. It felt like only a day had passed since Joy Parrott Smith sat behind me at SIRAs in 2002, and Rhiannon continues to crush it with Atomic Rowing. Kelley Demesthias (’05) was the real MVP off the water; organizing our lineup, wrangling extra unis, and coordinating photographers. Sophie Klessel snuck in as a true catch for the crew and switched sides to even out the boat. Sara Wilson-Thacker (’99) was strong representation of the 90s era, which has long been the heartbeat of GT Crew support. Rounding out bow pair, Melissa Hallow (’02) brought the finesse she’s honed rowing her single on Lake Oconee.

Natanel Ha (’25) was our fearless coxswain and a true saint for getting up early to help us relive our glory days. He expertly navigated us right into the chute at the start and kept us sharp and steady all the way down the course. His calls were spot on, and his encouragement made it easy to find our swing again.

It was surreal and amazing, and now I just need to know where to sign up for next year. Thank you to GT Rowing for making the alumni 8s possible. I know getting us registered and wrangling USRowing numbers wasn’t easy, and your efforts did not go unnoticed. Whoever (George P. Burdell, perhaps?) carried our oars to and from the dock deserves a medal. We showed up to an organized, seamless experience. We rowed hard, bought the t-shirt, and called it a win.

Huge thanks to GTCA for bringing together a boat of alumnae who didn’t all know each other before November 2 but left with a shared experience that’s now a core memory.

Let’s go, Tech!

Alec Kaye '16

Crew Alumni earned a bronze medal in the Head of the Hooch Men's Alumni 8+ event, behind two McCallie preparatory school crews. The crew notably finished ahead of UNC (+0.736 secs) and UF (+3.023 secs). Baylor and Uga also competed in the race. Coxswain Lauren "Sabo" Sabo kept an excellent line. Stern pair Timothy Pierce and John Heyerdahl set a consistent and strong rhythm. The remaining oarsmen were Jordan Smith, Steve Georgalis, James "Slim" Price, Karthik Krishnan, and Jack Travnik. It was an honor to row along with this crew. Looking forward to next time.