May 25, 2017
NOTRE DAME, Indiana — The University of Notre Dame rowing team will take part in the 2017 NCAA Championship regatta at Lake Mercer in West Windsor, New Jersey, beginning Friday, May 26. The Irish earned an at-large selection to the event after finishing in third place at the 2017 ACC Championship and facing one of the most difficult racing schedules in the nation.
Notre Dame will be making its ninth overall appearance at the NCAA Championship and fifth in the past six seasons.
IRISH BOAT ASSIGNMENTS:
Varsity Eight – 13th overall seed, Friday, 9:36 a.m. ET – Heat Four
Reilly Kearney (coxswain), Emily Stinebaugh, Gretchen Bruggeman, Erin Boxberger, Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Laura Migliore, Catherine Wagner, Elizabeth Gilbert, Lauren Saunee
Boat notes:
- The Varsity Eight’s rally to finish second at the Atlantic Coast Conference championship was a key moment in the Irish returning to the NCAA Championship.
- The Irish moved past top-seeded 1V8 Syracuse in the final 350 meters and were gaining on Virginia at the end of the race.
- Stinebaugh, who has taken over the stroke seat for the Varsity Eight, was named the ACC Freshman of the Year.
- Boxberger (first team) and O’Tighearnaigh (second team) earned all-ACC honors at the championship regatta.
Second Varsity Eight – 14th overall seed, Friday, 10:12 a.m. ET, Heat Three
Samantha Hedrick (coxswain), Mara Bhalla, Chris Schindele-Maruyama, Bailey Amenabar, Erin Dolan, Elizabeth Walter, Moira Hamilton, Bridget Adam, Kelly Fischer
Boat notes:
- The Second Varsity Eight has wins over Oklahoma, Oregon State, San Diego, Gonzaga and UCF this season.
- Bhalla moved up from the stroke seat in the 3V8 to the 2V8 at the Lake Natoma Invitational and has remained at the position for the final four regattas of the year.
Varsity Four – 17th overall seed, Friday, 10:36 a.m. ET, Heat One
Laura Schoonmaker (coxswain), Courtney Sampson, Laura Matchett, Jennifer Groth, Elizabeth Schrieber
Boat notes:
- The Varsity Four posted victories over Virginia, Michigan State and West Virginia this season.
The top two boats in each heat will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, the rest will take part in the repechages later in the day on Friday.
FAMILIAR FOES:
Notre Dame faced one of the most challenging race schedules in the country this season. The Irish faced 10 of the 22 teams invited to the NCAA Championship Regatta in 2016-17, including multiple races against Michigan and Virginia.
Here is a breakdown of the teams the Irish have faced this season, along with their NCAA Championship seeding in the First Varsity Eight:
California, #2
Texas, #3
Ohio State, #5
Stanford, #6
Michigan, #7
Indiana, #11
Virginia, #12
Syracuse, #14
UCF, #17
Gonzaga, #18
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:
Notre Dame will be making its ninth NCAA championship regatta appearance this weekend. Here is a look back the team and boat finishes at the national competition:
Team Finish
2015, 16th, 41 points
2014, 9th, 81 points
2013, 13th, 66 points
2012, 15th, 20 points
2007, 12th, 13 points
2006, 9th, 22 points
2004, 11th
2002, 16th
Varsity Eight
2015, 17th
2014, 9th
2013, 13th
2012, 16th
2007, 12th
2006, 9th
2004, 11th
2002, 16th
Second Varsity Eight
2015, 17th
2014, 9th
2013, 12th
2012, 13th
2007, 12th
2006, 12th
Varsity Four
2015, 12th
2014, 12th
2013, 9th
2012, 8th
2007, 11th
2006, 11th
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE:
Eight of the Irish competing this weekend have taken part in a previous NCAA Championship regatta. Seniors Bailey Amenabar and Erin Boxberger have both made NCAA boats twice previously in their careers, Amenabar as part of the Varsity Four in 2014 and 2015 and Boxberger in the Varsity Eight in 2013 and 2014.
A list of previous NCAA experience on the Irish roster this weekend, which year they competed and which boat they were a member of:
Kearney – 2015 – Varsity Eight
Amenabar – 2015 – Varsity Four
Amenabar – 2014 – Varsity Four
Walter – 2015 – Varsity Four
O’Tighearnaigh – 2015 – Varsity Four
Gilbert – 2015 – 2nd Varsity Eight
Wagner – 2015 – 2nd Varsity Eight
Bruggeman – 2015 – 2nd Varsity Eight
Boxberger – 2014 – Varsity Eight
Boxberger – 2013 – Varsity Eight
FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE ACTION:
Live results will be available on ncaa.com and you can follow @NDRowing for up-to-the-minute results as well. There also is a live video stream of the regatta available at ncaa.com.