May 30, 2014
INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Notre Dame rowing team opened competition on Friday at the 2014 NCAA Championship with one morning qualifier for the A/B semifinal round at Eagle Creek Park. The Irish varsity four placed in the top two of their preliminary heat to secure a direct berth into Saturday’s A/B semifinal, and will have the chance to become the first Notre Dame boat ever to advance to an NCAA grand final.
The Irish four boat crew of coxswain Mikaela Prego, Bailey Amenabar, Stella Willoughby, Emily Horton and Kelsey Sekanick clocked a runner-up time of 7:27.825 to finish just off the pace of heat winner Wisconsin (7:25.532). Louisville rounded out the event’s top three teams with a final readout of 7:30.919.
No. 10 Notre Dame opened the day with a third place result in first varsity eight racing, competing in a second heat that featured national top five teams Stanford (6:20.991) and Virginia (6:21.577). Coxswain Christina Dines, Teresa Rubinger, Hilary Shinnick, Anna Kottkamp, Ailish Sheehan, Erin Boxberger, Molly Bruggeman, Courtney Gaberino and Joanna Mulvey led the Irish entry to a time of 6:29.737, advancing to Friday afternoon’s second repechage heat.
Notre Dame added a morning third place finish in the second varsity eight to also qualify for the second afternoon repechage lineup. Coxswain Alex Techar, Sarah Kappers, Carlee Beckler, Katie Skorcz, Alexis Olson, Elizabeth Kelley, Rose Doerfler, Ellen Gleadow and Kiersten DeHaven crossed the finish line in 6:39.603 to place a competitive third behind national No. 2 Stanford (6:31.821) and Princeton (6:33.212).
NCAA Women’s Division I Varsity Eight Preliminaries, Heat 2
- Stanford 6:20.991
- Virginia 6:21.577
- Notre Dame 6:29.737
- Wisconsin 6:44.867
- Oklahoma 6:51.992
NCAA Women’s Division I Second Varsity Eight Preliminaries, Heat 2
- Stanford 6:31.821
- Princeton 6:33.212
- Notre Dame 6:39.603
- Louisville 6:41.608
- Oklahoma 6:58.234
NCAA Women’s Division I Varsity Four Preliminaries, Heat 3
- Wisconsin 7:25.532
- Notre Dame 7:27.825
- Louisville 7:30.919
- Oklahoma 7:47.451
- Jacksonville 8:32.687
- Ohio State 8:56.792
–ND–