The Crimson pictured moments after winning the 2012 IRA national championship (photo Harvard Athletic Communications).

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Harvard men's lightweight crew varsity eight was named the 2012 "Men's Collegiate Crew of the Year" by Rowing Magazine. The Crimson was featured in the magazine's "Best of 2012" article of the December issue alongside other awards for the world's best rowing athletes, coaches and crews.

The Crimson lightweight varsity eight had one of the best seasons in Harvard rowing history last year as the crew finished the 2011-12 campaign with an undefeated regular season, including wins at EARC Sprints and the IRA National Championship. Harvard broke the Cooper River course record with a time of 5:33.06 at IRAs to beat rivals from Dartmouth and Yale and claim the program's eighth national title. Rowers Tim Moore, Florian Mayr, Alex Newell, Nicholas Gates, Stuart Taylor Erich Schultze, Matt O'Leary and Michael Wales and coxswain Angela Chang made up the championship boat.