BERKELEY – Coming off of back-to-back Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championships, the California men's rowing team will begin the 2024 season at the Las Vegas Invitational, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada.
 
The complete racing schedule can be found here and live updates will be posted here.
 
The team will have a new look this season as several members of the top varsity boats from the previous two national championship teams have taken the year off to train for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Many of the oarsmen competing for spots on this year's top boats were not part of those championship teams, which presents an opportunity according to head coach and reigning Pac-12, IRA and IRCA Coach of the Year Scott Frandsen.
 
"It's their chance to write their own chapter," Frandsen said. "A lot of them played great supportive roles in past years and now it's their chance to step up and be that that guy or that crew. The building blocks are there and we need to make sure that momentum builds."
 
With so many seats on boats up for grabs, it's no secret what qualities Frandsen is looking for to fill those spots.
 
"I'm looking for guys that take this very seriously, are coachable and put the training in, row really well together and add energy to the team dynamic," Frandsen said. "That's how fast boats come together."
 
Another new aspect of this year's team that Frandsen and his staff will have to manage is the large number of newcomers, as the squad welcomes 23 freshmen to this year's roster. While some may see that as a challenge for the coaching staff, Frandsen views that group as an integral part of setting the tone for the team for the years to come.
 
"They've been a big part of developing that culture this year," Frandsen said. "It's about acknowledging that it's always a learning process as you get acclimated to the Berkeley academic rigor and our training routine and staying healthy. Freshman year is always a journey and a lot of those guys have been through every aspect of that journey, and I think are really hitting their stride now."
 
This weekend's Las Vegas Invitational will provide Frandsen with a lot of insights in terms of how his lineups will look throughout the course of the season.
 
"It's always an opportunity to try out a few different lineups and see what clicks and what doesn't," Frandsen said. "That's all good information. It's good to get three trips down the racecourse and get guys through the paces of what a race is like, because it's always different than training. It adds a little bit of purpose to January and February knowing that this early season race is there and it just adds a little bit of energy and purpose to the month of February."
 
Racing Schedule (all times PT, subject to change)
 
Saturday, March 2
9:40 a.m. – Cal V8+ vs Oregon State, University of San Diego
10 a.m. – Cal 2V8+ vs Oregon State, Cal 3V8+
1 p.m. – Cal V8+ vs UC San Diego
1:20 p.m. – Cal 2V8+ vs UC San Diego
1:40 p.m. – Cal 3V8+ vs UC San Diego, Santa Clara University
 
Sunday, March 3
9:40 a.m. – Cal V8+ vs Drexel, University of San Diego
10 a.m. – Cal 2V8+ vs Drexel 2V8+, Cal 3V8+