Oct. 13, 2002

Rockford, Ill. – Notre Dame took third, fifth and seventh in the open eight race, while the fours were first and third Sunday at the Head of the Rock regatta. The Irish first varsity eight of Cassie Markstahler (cox), Natalie Ladine, Ashlee Warren, Ann Marie Dillhoff, Alice Bartek, Elizabeth Specht, Erica Drennen, Kerri Murphy and Kathleen Welsh covered the 2.7 miles course in a time of 15:56.69. Wisconsin’s A crew was first in 15:46.93, followed by Iowa in second at 15:55.70 and the Irish.

The second eight of Kathryn Long (cox), Kati Sedun, Becky Luckett, Casey Buckstaff, Meghan Boyle, Diane Price, Rachel Polinski, Katie Chenoweth and Melissa Felker was fifth in 16:15.28 while the crew of Maureen Gibbons (cox), Katie O’Hara, Shannon Mohan, Meredith Thornburgh, Christine Donnelly, Sarah Palendech, Kristin Henkel, Sarah Keefer and Megan Sanders was seventh in 16:26.32. The fourth varsity eight of Rebecca Campbell (cox): Kristin Mizzi, Courtney Quinn, Katherine McCalden, Devon Hegeman, Antoinette Duck, Jenna Froberg, Danielle Stealy and Ann Mulligan was 18th in 17:12.16.

In the varsity four, the Irish concluded a great fall season in the race as the crew of Rackish (cox), Mohan, Thornburgh, Donnelly and Palandech were first in 17:30.97, almost two seconds ahead of Minnesota who was second in 17:32.66. The team of Markstahler (cox), Buckstaff, Boyle, Sedun and Felker was third in 17:36.20.

In the pairs, Notre Dame took four of the top eight places and six of the top 16. The duo of Warren and Murphy were second in the pairs in 18:26.03, followed by Dillhoff and Bartek in third at 18:28.07. Ladine and Welsh were seventh in 18:59.60 and Price and Luckett were eighth in 19:01.89.

“Our team showed tremendous depth today,” head coach Martin Stone said.

“Although we were disappointed we did not win the eight, having three crews in the top seven was impressive. I think it was a good conclusion to an excellent fall. We have a lot of work to do in the offseason, but we are headed in the right direction.”