April 9, 2006
Indianapolis, Ind. – After highs winds and rough waters forced an abbreviated racing schedule on Saturday, Sunday proved to be a smooth day of competition on the waters for the Notre Dame rowing team at the Indiana Classic.
The Irish varsity eight crew, ranked 11th nationally in this week’s Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/USRowing poll, was impressive in both of its races. Going up against Wisconsin in its first race of the morning, 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) bested the No. 15 ranked Badgers by nearly four seconds as the Irish posted a winning time of 6:55.80, while Wisconsin finished the course in 6:59.90.
In its second race of the morning, Notre Dame’s varsity eight crew went up against second ranked and defending national champion California and Purdue. The Irish finished second to the Bears as California won the race with a time of 6:59.90, while Notre Dame posted a time of 7:04.62. Purdue turned in a time of 7:51.52.
“I thought our varsity eight boat rowed extremely well,” head coach Martin Stone said. “We faced some good competition overall this weekend and I was very pleased with our results. I think we are headed in the right direction. We now have a couple of weeks off before the BIG EAST Championships. It comes at a good time for us as our team turns its focus to those races.”
The second varsity boat went up against Wisconsin and California in its only race of the day. 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.) finished third with a time of 7:27.63, behind California’s (7:16.10) and Wisconsin (7:19.37).
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 for the second straight day to Wisconsin in the only heat of the varsity four. The Irish posted a time of 8:23.68, while Wisconsin led the way with a time of 8:17.1. Indiana took third with a time of 8:36.69.
In the second varsity four, the crew of coxswain Kelsey Otero (Ballston Spa, N.Y.), Danielle Leary (Shrewsbury, Mass.), Erica Castro-Larsen (Lake Matthews, Calif.), Alyssa Teves (Denver, Colo.) and Kaitlin Jackson (West Bloomfield, Mich.) was second to Wisconsin as the Badgers posted a time of 8:32.10, while Irish finished in 8:48.90.
In the novice eight race, 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 third to Wisconsin (7:23.10) and Indiana (7:35.84) as the Irish were clocked in 7:37.60.
The second novice eight race saw Notre Dame finish third to Wisconsin (7:38.20) and Indiana (7:50.74). 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 (Bloomington, Ind.), Sabrina Barbosa (Azusa, Calif.) and Katie Elverman (Hartland, Wis.) finished with a time of 8:19.70.
Notre Dame returns to action on Sunday, April 30 when the Irish look to defend their title at the 2006 BIG EAST Championships in Worcester, Mass.