HANOVER, N.H. — Billy Bender and
Sammy Houdaigui of Dartmouth men's heavyweight rowing have been named to the IRCA 2025 Athlete Watchlist, as announced on Wednesday. Both are key members of a varsity eight crew with high expectations entering the spring season.
Bender returns to the Big Green after training for the Olympics last year, where he teamed up with Dartmouth alum Oliver Bub last summer in the men's pair. While in Paris, the duo finished 10th in the world. Bender returns to Dartmouth where he was a multi-time All-American.
Houdaigui has been a mainstay as a coxswain for the Big Green, leading the varsity eight. He is a multi-time member of the U.S. Under 23 team, helping the men's eight to silver at last summer's world championships in St. Catharines, Canada.
As a team, Dartmouth stands No. 6 in the IRCA poll and open their spring season on Saturday at No. 5 Yale for the Olympic Axe.