In his third year, head coach Mike Bailey credits an attitudinal shift he’s orchestrated throughout his tenure as the key to the best season in club history.

“They, just over the last two years, have gone from a program that didn’t have a real solid work ethic when I came in, to now every single one of these kids on the team is determined to make the boat go as fast as they can,” Bailey said.

Political theory and constitutional democracy senior Kevin Vermeesch said he’s proud to have been a part of transition that has MSU Crew on the uptick as of late and thankful for the opportunity to escape the “generic college experience.”

“It makes me feel pretty good that I’m a part of something that’s growing and changing for the better,” Vermeesch said. “There’s been growing pains, there’s been stressful situations with a new coach (and) with new kids on the team.”

Vermeesch, also the club’s president, has seen firsthand the effects stemming from the discipline and order that Bailey has installed — including 6 a.m. practices, additional individual workouts and an estimated total of 16 practice hours a week.

After a strong showing in the prestigious Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta last weekend in Philadelphia, the club has its sights high heading to nationals this weekend.

Each race is 2,000 meters long and teams will compete in heats at nationals, with the teams not qualifying from the first round racing again to determine the group for the semifinals. The top eight teams from the semifinal races are then qualified for the finals.

Mechanical engineering sophomore Kyle Sherman, a member of the lightweight boat, is hoping to end his first year with the club on a high note by winning first place this weekend, he said.

“(Rowing is) not like basketball or football where you can have a good game and carry your team,” Sherman said. “Last weekend, I feel like I had a great race and we still didn’t do that well because it’s not (about) one person having a good race — it’s a boat.”

Considering the MSU Crew Club receives no funding from the university and raises every dollar itself, Sherman said he takes pride in beating schools such as Michigan and Purdue that are at least partially funded by their universities, adding that MSU is one of few competitive clubs that is self-funded.

Bailey has high hopes for the lightweight boat and said aside from the team’s finish, he hopes to beat Michigan this weekend. As far as the heavyweight boat, he thinks another historic mark is possible for this team.

“A couple of the top teams have slowed down and we picked up some speed,” Bailey said. “So we’re certainly hoping to be in the top six where our seed is. But the best we’ve ever had as a finish is fifth, and I think we can beat that this year.”