Oct. 27, 2000
THIS WEEK: The Notre Dame women’s rowing team continues the fall season Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Head of the Elk on the St. Joseph River in Elkhart, Ind. The best viewing of the race is at Martin Park on Jackson Boulevard in Elkhart. The regatta starts at 9:55 a.m., with the Women’s Novice Eight race. The schedule for Sunday is as follows:
9:55 a.m. Women’s Novice 8 – C
10:00 a.m. Women’s Novice 8 – D
10:10 a.m. Women’s Open 4 – A
10:15 a.m. Women’s Open 4 – B
12:00 p.m. Women’s Novice 8 – A
12:05 p.m. Women’s Novice 8 – B
12:15 p.m. Women’s Lightweight 4 – A
12:20 p.m. Women’s Lightweight 4 – B
1:10 p.m. Women’s Open Pairs
1:40 p.m. Women’s Open Eight – A
1:45 p.m. Women’s Open Eight – B
1:50 p.m. Women’s Open Eight – C
THE IRISH BOATS FOR THE WEEKEND: Here are the boating assignments head coach Martin Stone has formed for this weekend:
Women’s Novice Eight – C: Megan Sanders, Kelly Shaffer, April Driver, Allison Maimona, Katie Wojno, Michaele Carney, Lucy Marinangeli, Jennifer Gushurst, Katie Murphy
Second Boat: Susan Logenbaker, Leigh Hellrung, Beth Whit, Alicia Garcia, Maureen Silliman, Erin Williams, Jessica Leibowitz, Cara Yannuzzi, Jennifer Gaisser-Sadler
Women’s Novice Eight – D: Maggie Ruddy, Colleen Cummings, Taiss Lewis, Gena McCann, Alexa Garot, Katie Remenih, Kellie Nakamura, Erin Powell, Sonia Wallace
Women’s Open Four – A: Becky Luckett, Ashlee Warren, Katherine Burnett, Jayme Szefc, Claire Bula
Women’s Open Four – B: Melissa Alberding, Julia Kelly, Casey Buckstaff, Ann Marie Dillhoff, Pam Swan
Women’s Novice Eight – A: Katie O’Hara, Danielle Protasewich, Krista Seidl, Natalie Ladine, Jacqueline Hazen, Robin Mattessich, Kathleen Welch, Karrie Koski, Marita Murphy
Women’s Novice Eight – B: Meg Starnes, Christina Shreiner, Emily Oess, Chelsea Madison, Christina Belmonte, Ashlee Logan, Heather Shull, Molly Williams, Samantha Matovich
Second Boat: Kathryn Lent, Heather Dziedzic, Amanda Lyons, Nicole Wykoff, Anna Moranski, Sarah Keefer, Erin Dwyer, Kacy McCaffrey, Cassie Shum
Women’s Lightweight Four – A: Diana Laquinta, Kerri Murphy, Laura Aull, Leah Ashe, Erin Kiernicki
Women’s Lightweight Four – B: Erin Shea, Kathy Long, Jessica Manske, Becky Campbell, Cassie Markstahler
Pairs: Tara Driscoll/Allie Spacht
First Varsity Eight: Ann Marie Dillhoff, Melissa Alberding, Julia Kelly, Casey Buckstaff, Becky Luckett, Ashlee Warren, Katherine Burnett, Jayme Szfec, Claire Bula
Second Varsity Eight: Anne Starks, Elizabeth Kinnier, Diane Price, Katherine McCauldren, Diana Laquinta, Kerri Murphy, Laura Aull, Leah Ashe, Erin Kiernicki
Third Varsity Eight: Sara Andrews, Caitlin Murray, Andrea Amoni, Kristi Schmidt, Erica Drennen, Ann Gurucharri, Maureen Carr, Kolleen Myers, Pam Swan
IRISH REWIND: Notre Dame won two races at the Head of the Grand Regatta on the Grand River in East Lansing, Mich. The Irish took gold medals in the First Novice Eight and the Open Pairs race, while finishing second in the Pairs and the Second Novice Eight.
The First Novice Eight team of Chelsea Madison, Krista Seidl, Heather Dzeidzic, Jacqueline Hazen, Robin Mattessich, Anna Moranski, Sarah Keefer, Long, Kacy McCaffery, rowing in their first collegiate race, outdistanced Michigan State’s first boat by eight seconds, finishing in a time of 12:26.
In the Open Pairs event, the Irish had great success taking four of the first six places. The team of sophomores Becky Luckett and Ashlee Warren, who rowed on the novice roster last season, continued their early success by winning the race in 13:04. It was the second win in two weeks for the pair as they won the season’s inaugural race at the Chicago Chase. The duo of freshman Diane Price and sophomore Ann Marie Dillhoff were second in 13:12, eight seconds behind Luckett and Warren, while junior Katherine Burnett and freshman Jayme Szefc were fourth in 13:17.
The Irish Varsity Eight team of Dillhoff, Melissa Alberding, Julia Kelly, Casey Buckstaff, Luckett, Warren, Burnett, Szefc and coxswain Erin Kiernicki placed third in a time of 11:12. Michigan State, who placed eighth at the 2000 NCAA Championships as a team, was first and second in 10:41 and 11:04, respectively.
The Irish also placed fourth and fifth in the Varsity Four race and was second in the Second Novice Eight race.
HI, MY NAME IS…: This fall, 22 of the 33 varsity roster members are new to the team. Only 11 athletes return from last season’s varsity roster, while four are studying abroad and could miss the entire year. The development of the novice program, under the direction of assistant coaches Pam Mork and Kevin Luecke, is paying big dividends for the Irish this season as 13 women have made the jump from the novice to the varsity roster. Head coach Martin Stone also welcomes eight freshman to the varsity team this season.
NO FEAR FOR NEWCOMERS: The newcomers have made major contributions to the boats this season. In their first varsity regatta. The sophomore duo of Becky Luckett and Ashlee Warren have won two pairs races this season and placed fourth at the Head of the Rock. The freshman pair Diane Price and sophomore Ann Marie Dillhoff were at the Chicago Chase. The first varsity eight boat this season features seven newcomers to the boat, including four athletes who were on the novice roster last season and two freshmen. Senior Melissa Alberding, also rowing in the varsity eight boat, missed all of last season after studying abroad.
HISTORY LESSON: Notre Dame rowing, in only its third season, was granted varsity status in 1996, making it the 26th varsity sport at the University. Martin Stone was hired in ’97 as the first head coach and the Irish competed in their first regatta in 1998.
2000-01 SEASON OUTLOOK: Irish head coach Martin Stone has recruited some of the nation’s finest young rowers to go along with his outstanding club athletes to form what is quickly becoming one of the region’s and nation’s best rowing schools. Notre Dame took the rowing scene by storm its first two seasons as it successfully competed amongst the Midwest’s and nation’s elite programs. The Irish hope to build on that success in reaching their ultimate goal of qualifying for this year’s NCAA Championships.
“We have been steadily progressing toward our goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships,” Stone says. “We have a number of talented newcomers this season who will sit in key positions in our boats. Combine that with an experienced group of returning athletes, especially the coxswains, and we will be on target to achieve our goals.”
The open weight category is where Stone has a battle ahead of him as he needs to replace a number of athletes in the Varsity Eight vessel. Gone are Amy Braun and Katrina Ten Eyck, while three other athletes, Michelle Olsgard, Courtney Mercer and Lauren Lyons are studying abroad the first semester.
But Stone does have returning senior captains Erin Kiernicki and Claire Bula. Bula coxed the Varsity Eight last season, while Kiernicki guided the Second Varsity Eight. This weekend, Bula will steer the Lightweight Eight boat on Saturday an the Varsity Eight Sunday, while Kiernicki will have the Varsity Eight vessel. Junior Katherine Burnett is the only other returning athlete in the Varsity Eight boat from last season.
Newcomers who look to make an immediate impact are Melissa Alberding, who is back after studying abroad last year, Ann Marie Dillhoff, Casey Buckstaff, Becky Luckett and Ashlee Warren, all of whom rowed on the novice squad last season. Freshmen Julia Kelly and Jayme Szefc also will row in the top boat.
THE CAPTAINS: Head coach Martin Stone will have strong leadership this season as Claire Bula and Erin Kiernicki have been named captains for the 2000-01 season. Bula is in her third season with the Irish and was a nominee for the US Rowing Honor Roll last year. She is enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters, majoring in American studies. Kiernicki is also in her third season of competition for the Irish and is enrolled in the College of Business, majoring in marketing and sociology.
THE SCHEDULE: The Head of the Elk is the final regatta of the fall for the Irish. In the spring, the Irish travel to Tennessee, Worchester, Mass. and San Diego among other places. The schedule will be finalized and released later this fall.
BIG EAST CHALLENGE: The Notre Dame rowing team will participate in the inaugural BIG EAST Women’s Rowing Challenge on April 28, 2001, in Worchester, Mass. This will be the first year of a three-year trial for the event in which time, the BIG EAST could decide to sponsor rowing as an official conference sport. There are currently nine BIG EAST schools who field rowing teams.