Men's Rowing | July 13, 2022

PHILADELPHIA – Kelsey Franks and Ivo Krakic have been elevated to head coaches of the women's and men's rowing programs, respectively, announced on Wednesday. Both having combined to fulfill the vacant role over the last season in an interim capacity, Kelsey Franks will officially be the head coach of the women's program while Krakic will take charge of men's crew.
 
"I am excited to announce Kelsey and Ivo as head coaches of our respective rowing programs," said Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Brian Baptiste. "They have both shown incredible passion, energy, and commitment since arriving at La Salle and have channeled that into immediate results. Their impact on the water along with their unwavering support of our student-athletes gives me strong confidence that Kelsey and Ivo are the right choices to lead and continue to build our programs for future success."
 
Under the tutelage of Kelsey Franks, the Explorer women went to producing some of their best results in the past decade with a very youthful roster. The Varsity 8+ boat opened their spring season by reaching the Grand Finals at the Murphy Cup for the first time in nine years. The boat followed up the performance with the strongest finish of Atlantic 10 competition in the event at the Knecht Cup. Ending the season on a high at the Atlantic 10 Championships, the women's Varsity 8+ boat finished first in the Petite Finals of the championships, the first time an Explorer boat has achieved the feat in 10 years.
 
"I want to thank Brian Baptiste for giving me the opportunity to lead La Salle women's rowing as head coach," said Franks. "I'm extremely excited to build on the momentum that we forged this past season, and honored to return to 20^th & Olney (and our second hone on Boathouse Row) in this new leadership position! Mostly, I must thank the current women on this team – they have been great advocates for themselves and this historic program through so many changes, and I hope to provide the stability and commitment this group of women deserve. I can't wait to reunite this fall and get to work!"
 
Joining La Salle in January, Krakic led the charge to one of the most successful seasons in recent history for the Explorers. In the first three regattas of the season, the Varsity 4+ captured gold in each of their events. The Novice 4+ also captured a pair of golds, while the Second Varsity 4+ team also saw top spot on the podium.
 
"I would like to thank Brian Baptiste for this incredible opportunity as the new head men's rowing coach," said Krakic. "La Salle is an amazing school with a rich history in rowing and a very strong alumni support. I look forward to working with our student-athletes, our athletic department, and our alumni to build a prosperous rowing program and bring success for years to come! It is a great time to be an Explorer!"
 
The Explorer men surged into the Dad Vails, all four boats finishing on the podium in either first or second place. The Novice 4+ boat grabbed the Lindy Cup with a 12 second win over the field before a dominant finish from the Second Varsity 4+ earned La Salle's first ever Ken Shaw Trophy. Both the Lightweight 4+ and Varsity 4+ finished just off the pace of the leaders to finish second, the Varsity 4+ nearly breaking the previous course record and qualifying for the IRA National Championships in the process. The boat would be the first to enter the competition since 2001.
 
Krakic and Co. capped off the season with an impressive performance at the IRAs, opening the event with the fifth fastest time in time trials. In the semis, the men were ousted out of a spot in the Grand Finals by just over a second, the Explorer boat earning a spot in the Petite Finals. With a second place finish in the event, the Varsity 4+ boat finished eighth in the country to round off one of the most successful campaigns in program history.
 
Both coaches joined 20^th & Olney after successful stints as a student-athlete on Boathouse Row. Franks was a Second Team All-American Conference selection in her time at Temple. The 2016 graduate served as the rowing head coach at Tampa Preparatory School in Florida before moving to the role of rowing director from 2018-21. Krakic, a four-time competitor at the IRA National Championships for his Drexel team, is a 2017 graduate that helped the Dragons to Dad Vail Regatta team titles in all four years of his collegiate career.
 
For updates on the men's and women's rowing team, visit goexplorers.com or follow us on Twitter at @LaSalleRowing or in Instagram at @lasalleurowing.