LEWISTON, Maine -- Recently graduated Bates men's rowing captain Steven Sparks was named a first team All-American for the second straight year by the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association on Tuesday. Bates was also honored for the men's rowing team's achievements in the classroom as 14 Bobcats were named IRCA Scholar-Athletes on Monday.

This marks the second time the IRCA has issued All-America honors in its history, making the now two-time All-American Sparks (Simsbury, Conn.) the only men's rowing All-American from Bates besides coxswain Lisa Hamasaki '95, who was named a USRowing Collegiate All-American in 1995. 

Sparks rowed in the fifth seat for the first varsity eight at the 2022 IRA National Championships, where the Bobcats placed fourth in the country in the Division III race. He was also a first team All-NESCAC selection this year and has been in the 1V from the start of his career. In 2018-19, he helped the Bobcats capture a third consecutive NESCAC title at the National Invitational Rowing Championships.

According to the IRCA, in order to be named an "All-American", rowers and coxswains must have met the following criteria:

• The student-athlete must meet all eligibility rules defined by their institution.

• The student must have raced in their team's varsity boat for the current spring racing season.

• The student-athlete must be nominated by their institution.

• The head coach of the student athlete's institution must be in good standing with the IRCA.

Nominated student-athletes are then selected by the IRCA Board of Directors to "1st team", "2nd team", or "Honorable Mention" based on the following criteria:

• Strength of finish of the institution's varsity boat.

• Nomination Rank within institution.

• Coach's comments, individual achievements, and erg score.

The 14 Bobcats named IRCA Scholar-Athletes are: Timothy Bates '23 (Rueschlikon, Switzerland), Charlie Berman '24 (Merion Station, Pa.), coxswain Aidan Braithwaite '23 (Milton, Mass.), Alexander Burbelo '22 (Washington, D.C.), team captain Maxwell Cavallaro '22 (Pipersville, Pa.), William Corcoran '22 (Chevy Chase, Md.), Xavier Fallone '22 (Niskayuna, N.Y.), Jack Fruechte '22 (Minneapolis, Minn.), Isaac Levinger '24 (Rockville, Md.), Benjamin MacDonald '23 (Gladwyne, Pa.), Thomas Monahan '22 (Louisville, Colo.), coxswain Evan Saltman '22 (Newfields, N.H.), Robert Sobolewski '22 (Oakton, Va.), and Jasper Tucker '22 (New Canaan, Conn.).

According to the IRCA, in order to be named a "scholar-athlete", rowers and coxswains must have met the following criteria:

• Athletes from all IRCA Member Schools are eligible.

• Athletes must be in second year or more of eligibility.

• Athletes must have competed in their program's top 3 boats during the current season or raced at the 2022 IRA Championship.

• Athletes must have, at least, a 3.50 cumulative GPA through fall semester.