CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard men's lightweight rowing team announced an eight-athlete signing class of incoming first-years on Wednesday morning. Billy Boyce, Friends of Harvard Lightweight Rowing Coach for Men's Lightweight Crew, and the three-time defending IRA National Champions add a class of six domestic and two international rowers to the team.
Harvard Men's Lightweight Rowing Class of 2030
Name (Hometown)
Graham Alderson (Carlisle, Mass.)
Lars Andrews (Seattle, Wash.)
Michael Betzler (Newport Beach, Calif.)
Raphael Corbett (London, United Kingdom)
Parker Johnson (Newport Beach, Calif.)
Ellie Keum (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.)
T.Z. Snail (Lexington, Mass.)
Isaac Thornton (Windsor, United Kingdom)
First-Year Capsules…
Graham Alderson
Carlisle, Mass. • Concord-Carlisle • Community Rowing Inc.
Member of the varsity crew at Community Rowing Inc. in Boston… bowed CRI's varsity eight that placed fifth at the 2026 Youth National Championships; the club's best finish in that event since 2015… stroked the CRI varsity eight at the 2025 Head of the Charles… sat second in CRI's U19 varsity eight that placed fourth at the 2025 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta… son of Sarah Grallert and Edward Alderson.
Lars Andrews
Seattle, Wash. • University Prep • Pocock Youth Rowing
Won first place in the men's youth 4+ at the 2025 Youth Nationals… placed second in the Men's Youth 4x at the 2026 Youth Nationals… a National Merit finalist… son of Eric and Annika Andrews… sister, Elsa Andrews '24 rowed for Harvard-Radcliffe lightweight for four years.
Michael Betzler
Newport Beach, Calif. • Newport Harbor • Newport Aquatic Center
Rowed four years at Newport Harbor…. Placed third with men's youth 8+ at Southwest Youth Regionals and won men's youth 4- as a senior… as a junior, won the 4- and 2x at regionals… finished eighth in the youth 8+ as a junior at Youth Nationals and sixth in the youth 8+ as a senior… son of Olga and Brett Betzler.
Raphael Corbett
London, United Kingdom • Latymer Upper School
Rowed with the first eight at Latymer Upper School in 2024 and 2025… served as vice captain in 2024 and 2025… U19 men's pair champion at the Coupe for Great Britain in 2025… U21 men's pair champion at Australian Nationals in 2026… son of Sandrine and Giles Corbett.
Parker Johnson
Newport Beach, Calif. • Pacifica Christian • Newport Sea Base Rowing
Three-year member of the varsity crew at Pacifica Christian… rowed club for Newport Sea Base from 2023-26… named oarsman of the year with club in 2026… won Men's 4+ at the 2024 and 2025 US Rowing Youth National Championships… son of Sean and Susan Johnson.
Ellie Keum
Englewood Cliffs, N.J. • The Hotchkiss School
Lettered in rowing and ice hockey at The Hotchkiss School… varsity coxswain for the girl's first boat all four years… captains in the team as a junior and senior… coxed varsity in sixth-place finish at 2025 NEIRA to receive a bid to nationals… placed ninth at 2026 NEIRA… graduated as a member of the Cum Laude Society… daughter of Soyoung Lee and Peter Keum.
T.Z. Snail
Lexington, Mass. • Belmont Hill School • Cambridge Boat Club
Three-sport athlete at Belmont Hill School; competing in cross-country, Nordic skiing and crew… served as crew captain in 2025 and 2026… rowed in first varsity four and earned second at NEIRA and seventh at US Rowing Nationals in 2026… won NEIRA with second varsity four in 2025 and second in the U19 2- at Canadian Henley that same year… took first in the third varsity four at 2024 NEIA and seven in 4- at US Rowing Nationals… twice recognized as an All-NEPSAC racer in Nordic skiing in 2025 and 2026… son of Shaonan and Timothy Snail.
Isaac Thornton
Windsor, United Kingdom • The Windsor Boys School
Rowed five years at Windsor Boys… captained team in 2025 and 2026… five-time national schools regatta gold medal winner… won the Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 2025… winner of the Coupe de la Jeunesse in 2025… son of Abigail and Philip Thornton.
