March 17, 2018
The University of Notre Dame rowing team began the 2018 season at the Cardinal Invitational in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on Saturday, March 17. For the Fighting Irish, it was a fitting start to the season – on St. Patrick’s Day – and the first opportunity for the team to get competition time on the water.
“This weekend is the opening salvo of a long process to get to the NCAA Championships,” Irish head coach Martin Stone said after the first day of racing. “We came down here to start to find out who we are and today’s sessions were the first steps on that journey.”
The team utilized the first day of the regatta to change up boat lineups from the morning session to the afternoon session while competing against five other ACC teams.
“I thought the fours did farily well today, but by the time we leave here tomorrow we will have better boat speed in the fours and the eights, then we can progress from there.”
The regatta features five teams who made the 2017 NCAA Championship field and is the first test for the team in 2018 after a tough preseason training schedule that saw limited on-water training time due to high water on the St. Joseph River and inclement weather.
Among the highlights of Day One for the Irish, the Varsity Four finished second the morning session (6:59.22), closing on heat winner Tennessee at the end of the race. The Third Varsity Eight, featuring a full line up of Irish freshman, earned a victory in its first heat of the year, finishing in 7:11.968 and ahead of Michigan State and Tulsa.
In the afternoon session, the Second Varsity Four boat owned the best finish, taking second (7:22.70) behind Virginia (7:07.756).
The regatta will wrap up tomorrow (Sunday, March 18) with racing from 9 a.m. through Noon ET.
Morning Session:
Varsity 8
Mara Bhalla, Christine Schindele-Murayama, Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Laura Migliore, Kelly Fischer, Emily Stinebaugh, Lauren Saunee, Jennifer Groth, Reilly Kearney (c).
1. Lousiville, 6:12.515
2. Tennesee, 6:17.239
3. Notre Dame, 6:27.479
4. Clemson, 6:27.479
Varsity 4
Stephanie Dubois, Julia Randall, Ashley Young, Jeanne Farnan, Tala Mansouri (c).
1. Tennessee, 6:58.476
2. Notre Dame, 6:59.222
3. Louisville, 6:59.312
4. Clemson, 7:11.236
Second Varsity 8
Gen Johanni, Elizabeth Walter, Elizabeth Gilbert, Lauren Matchett, Audrey Regan, Katie Wiedenhoft, Meredith Swartz, Emily White, Laura Schoonmaker (c).
1. Louisville, 6:22.786
2. Tennessee, 6:26.536
3. Clemson, 6:28.990
4. Notre Dame, 6:38.062
Second Varsity 4
Allegra Sodi, Madeline Coady, Lauren McKee, Caroline Hills, Cailey Brogan (c).
1. Louisville, 7:13.234
2. Notre Dame, 7:16.498
3. Clemson, 7:20.294
4. Tennessee, 7:26.358
Third Varsity 8
Carrie Smith, Brenna Halligan, Mariah Parsons, Chloe Hemm, Alexandra Lee, Analisa Pines, Mary Grace Phelan, Samantha Manfreda, Colleen Visnic (c).
1. Tennessee, 6:33.812
2. Notre Dame, 6:42.900
3. Minnesota, 6:50.892
4. Clemson, 7:00.180
Third Varsity 4
Erin Dolan, Katharine Johnson, Molly Pierce, Bridget Geyer, Rosemary McGovern (c).
1. Notre Dame, 7:11.967
2. Michigan State, 7:25.315
3. Tulsa, 7:32.769
Afternoon Session:
Varsity 8
Mara Bhalla, Christine Schindele-Murayama, Kelly Fischer, Laura Migliore, Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Emily Stinebaugh, Lauren Saunee, Jennifer Groth, Reilly Kearney (c).
1. Virginia, 6:11.434
2. Tulsa, 6:19.088
3. Miami, 6:21.399
4. Notre Dame, 6:24.926
Second Varsity 8
Gen Johanni, Elizabeth Walter, Elizabeth Gilbert, Lauren Matchett, Audrey Regan, Katie Wiedenhoft, Meredith Swartz, Emily White, Laura Schoonmaker (c).
1. Virginia, 6:33.488
2. Tulsa, 6:42.976
3. Notre Dame, 6:46.287
4. Miami, 6:52.798
Varsity 4
Allegra Sodi, Erin Dolan, Katharine Johnson, Jeanne Farnan, Tala Mansouri (c).
1. Virginia, 7:07.756
2. Miami, 7:20.104
3. Tulsa, 7:20.220
4. Notre Dame, 7:24.660
Second Varsity 4
Lauren McKee, Molly Pierce, Bridget Geyer, Caroline Hills, Rosemary McGovern (c).
1. Virginia, 7:13.441
2. Notre Dame, 7:22.720
3. Tulsa, 7:33.088
4. Miami, 7:38,792
Third Varsity 4
Audrey Regan, Katie Wiedenhoft, Meredith Swartz, Evelyn McManus, Cailey Brogan (c).
1. Yale, 7:02.242
2. Michigan, 7:06.550
3. Notre Dame, 7:16.464
4. Tennessee, 7:38.361
Note: this race was against the 2V4 from the other three teams
Third Varsity 8
Carrie Smith, Brenna Halligan, Mariah Parsons, Chloe Hemm, Samantha Manfreda, Ellie Daum, Hana Ferrero, Natalie Pratt, Mary Ryan (c).
1. Virginia, 6:40.340
2. Notre Dame, 6:59.072
3. Miami, 7:22.562