Alum Steve Kasprzyk, USA Men's 8 Qualifies for 2016 Rio Summer Olympics

PHILADELPHIA – The United States men's eight, which featured Drexel Crew alum Steve Kasprzyk, qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday by finishing first at the Final Qualification Regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Team USA took the top spot with a time of 5:29.160. Poland finished second to also qualify, edging third-place Italy by 0.36 seconds. Rowing competition at the Rio Olympics will run from August 6-14 on Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.

Kasprzyk, a 2005 graduate from Drexel, was a member of Team USA's eight that finished fourth at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He is one of two rowers in the current Team USA men's eight to be making a second Olympic appearance. He has an extensive resume of international and national success, including a gold medal at the World Rowing Cup II in 2014 and a gold medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games. The 34-year-old first joined the national team in 2007.

The Cinnaminson, N.J., native began his rowing career at Drexel in 2000. He was part of a Dragons team that won the Kerr Cup in 2004.

Rowing for Team USA along with Kasprzyk in Switzerland was coxswain Sam Ojserkis, Glenn Ochal, Rob Munn, Mike DiSanto, Austin Hack, Alex Karwoski, Hans Struzyna and Sam Dommer.

For more from the Final Qualification Regatta, click here. For more on the upcoming Rio Olympics, click here.

Drexel University Athletics

Alum Steve Kasprzyk, USA Men's 8 Qualifies for 2016 Rio Summer Olympics

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