Grant James named 2014 USRowing Male Athlete of the Year
October 31, 2014 | Men's Rowing
Oct. 31, 2014
MADISON, Wis. -- Grant James, a Wisconsin graduate, former member of the men's rowing program and six-time national team member since 2008, has been named the 2014 USRowing Male Athlete of the Year.
James rowed bow in the U.S. men's four in 2013-14. His boat took bronze at the world championships in 2013 and silver in 2014. In races that are sure to test emotions, James' teammates have started to refer to him as "The Iceman". James earned the nickname because of his incredible ability to stay calm and focused in all arenas of rowing, in and out of competition.
One of James' teammates, Henrik Rummel, in USRowing's story about the honor described James as, "Very even-keeled, hard to rattle. He has a great long-term perspective and positive attitude. He doesn't get frustrated easily, and as such, is a great teammate."
"He is a terrific team guy and makes the people around him better," said U.S. men's coach Bryan Volpenhein. "In the four, he has been surrounded by emotional guys and when things get heated, Grant is always the voice of reason."
James' teammates and coaches voted him the 2014 USRowing Male Athlete of the Year for these reasons, and many more.
"We're all working hard, and we're all doing our best, and we all have a role on the team, but the fact that guys and the team see the value that I bring throughout the year, the fact that they thought I was adding value and I embodied what the athlete of the year should embody, that was really special," James said.
James and his twin brother, Ross, were walk-ons to the Wisconsin men's rowing program. Natives of DeKalb, Illinois, they attended UW from 2005-09. They would later be a part of the Badgers' 2008 Eastern Sprints conference and Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship varsity eight. They also won gold at the 2008 World Rowing Under 23 Championships before moving on to the senior team, where they both rowed in the eight at the 2009 and 2011 FISA World Rowing Championships. The brothers went on to compete at the Olympic Games in London in 2012. After the 2012 Olympics, James moved into the four.
Wisconsin head coach Chris Clark has said, "The James brothers are quintessential Badger oarsmen, beginning with the registration lines at UW all the way to the Olympics seven years later. We pride ourselves in the development of rowers, from walk-ons to Olympians, and the James' are a credit to the University of Wisconsin and to USRowing."
James looks ahead with confidence in himself and his teammates, "We definitely had a better performance (in 2014), and we are very happy with what we did. Now the goal is to make silver a gold medal."
Volpenhein added, "Grant has been an awesome athlete. He is very coachable and has the ability to adapt quickly. Combine that with the will power and determination to make changes stick on a daily basis, and you have a real weapon."
James graduated from Wisconsin in 2009 with a mechanical engineering degree.
Story adapted from USRowing.com's release.
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