April 8, 2006
Indianapolis, Ind. – Highs winds and rough waters forced the suspension of racing on Saturday afternoon at the Indiana Crew Classic. Preliminary heats were held in the varsity eight, second varsity eight, varsity four, second varsity, novice eight and second novice eight races.
Notre Dame’s varsity eight crew, ranked 11th nationally in this week’s Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/USRowing poll, won its heat. The boat of coxswain Maria Romano (River Forest, Ill.), Julie Sobolewski (Haddonfield, N.J.), Amanda Polk (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Mary Quinn (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), Laura Pearson (Bloomington, Minn.), Allison Marsh (Mashpee, Mass.), Melissa Felker (Bellvue, Wash.), Megan Boyle (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Sarah Palandech (Lakenheath, United Kingdom) won crossed the finish line in 6:11.00, besting the times posted by Indiana (6:16.7) and Purdue (6:59.5).
The second heat of the varsity eight saw California, which is ranked second nationally, finish with a time of 6:25.6, while Wisconsin (6:29.11) took second and Louisville (6:33.0) placed third.
The Irish second varsity boat also was first in its heat as the crew of coxswain Eileen Froehlke (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Ankica Jedry (Chicago, Ill.), Jessica Guzik (Annandale, Va.), Alyssa Close (South Dennis, Mass.), Danielle Stealy (Culver, Ind.), Andrea Doud (Redford, Mich.), Kendra Short (Everett, Wash.), Sarah Kate Hafner (Tampa, Fla.) and Pamela Jefson (Kalamazoo, Mich.) posted a time of 6:52.4, finished ahead of Purdue (7:41.4).
In the second heat of the second varsity eight, Wisconsin was the winner with a time of 6:34.9, followed by California (6:35.7) and Louisville (6:44.7).
Notre Dame’s varsity four boat of coxswain Sarah Keithley (Austin, Texas), Shannon Cassel (Bettendorf, Iowa), Kristan Madison (Saginaw, Mich.), Casey Fairbanks (Dandridge, Tenn.) and Mary McNamara (North Potomac, Md.) was second to Wisconsin in the only heat of the varsity four. The Irish posted a time of 7:14.0, while Wisconsin finished with a time of 6:57.1. Indiana took third with a time of 7:22.3.
In the second varsity four, the crew of coxswain Christina Padayhag (Kwajalein, Marshall Islands), Ashley St. Pierre (Kingston, N.H.), Brittany Burnham (Hilton Head, S.C.), Danielle Leary (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Lindsay McQuaid (Beaverton, Ore.) also was second in the only heat comprised of two other boats. The Irish boat finished with a time of 7:30.0, while Wisconsin took first in 7:17.1 and Indiana place third in 7:52.6.
Five boats competed in the novice eight race as Notre Dame went up against two other crews in the first heat. The boat of coxswain Stephanie Szegedi (South Lyon, Mich.), Mallory Glass (Okemos, Mich.), Elli Greybar (Western Springs, Ill.), Christine Trezza (Staten Island, N.Y.), Lauren Buck (Flint, Mich.), Megan Black (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Amanda Gonzales (Redlands, Calif.), Laura Petnuch (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Erica Copeland (Marietta, Ga.) was second with a time of 6:50.8. Indiana finished ahead of the Irish with a time of 6:39.5, while Purdue was third in 7:21.8.
The second heat saw Wisconsin finish first in 6:43.2, while Louisville was second in 7:25.9.
There second novice eight race also was divided into two heats. The Irish boat of coxswain Sarah Sullivan (Norwich, Conn.), Stephanie Bauer (Wilmington, Ohio), Kelsey Reno (Freeland, Mich.), Kate Sylvia (Tiburon, Calif.), Bridget Leone (Garden City, N.Y.), Vanessa Milano (The Woodlands, Texas), Katherine Notter (Ballston Spa, N.Y), Sabrina Barbosa (Azusa, Calif.) and Katie Elverman (Hartland, Wis.) posted a time of 7:42.9 and finished third behind Indiana (6:38.9) and Purdue (7:03.3). Wisconsin won the second heat in 7:10.6, while Louisville was second in 7:40.5.
Racing continues on Sunday for all the teams competing in the two-day regatta.