No. 3 Virginia Wins Team Titles and Four Races at South/Central Regionals

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OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – For the fourth-consecutive year, the third-ranked Virginia rowing team won both the overall team title and the South Region title at the 2010 South/Central Regional Championships. Additionally, the Cavaliers rowed to victories in four out of the five Grand Finals on Sunday (May 16), getting wins in the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight, Varsity Four and Open Four.

“I’m so proud of this entire team,” Virginia head coach Kevin Sauer said. “For them to perform the way they did today was truly amazing. We challenged them to race to their abilities and they did a fantastic job. We are looking forward to keeping it going.”

Virginia has now won the Aramark Cup (combined points leader of the South and Central Region standings) six out of seven years. As for winning the South Region, the Cavaliers have won seven of the last eight years.

Virginia finished with 451 points, while Wisconsin earned the second-highest total in both regions and won the Central Region with 405 points. Rounding out the top five was Michigan State (387 points), Michigan (386 points) and Clemson (369 points).

In the Varsity Eight Grand Final, Virginia (coxswain Sidney Thorsten, Jennifer Cromwell, Katrin Reinert, Desiree Burns, Kristine O’Brien, Martha Kuzzy, Helen Tompkins, Nora Phillips, Summers Nelson) had a first-place time of 6:23.70. Second place went to Michigan State (6:28.47) and third place went to Clemson (6:31.46).

The Second Varsity Eight crew of coxswain Cristine Candland, Victoria Burke, Marie Long, Lauren Hutchins, Sarah Borchelt, Keziah Beall, Christine Roper, Claudia Blandford and Lauren Shook had a winning time of 6:38.00 in its Grand Final, edging out Wisconsin (6:40.04) and Ohio State (6:41.20).

In the Varsity Four, Virginia (coxswain Sarah Pichardo, Ruth Retzinger, Hunter Terry, Chelsea Simpson, Inge Janssen) finished first (7:24.40), followed by Wisconsin (7:28.48) and Michigan State (7:30.88).

In the Open Four, Virginia ‘B’ (coxswain Sarah Shanfield, Susie Chalker, Francesca Lauritano, Morgan Joseph, Jenny Shultis) rowed to victory in the Grand Final, edging Virginia ‘A’ (coxswain Molly Frear, MacKenzie Leahy, Betsy Nilan, Cara Linnenkohl, Lieve Pitts). The winning time was 7:32.20, compared to the second-place time of 7:36.41. In that race, Virginia ‘C’ (coxswain Miriam Kaplan, Caroline Sweeny, Marelle Myers, Erin Hawes, Carolyn Glandorf) finished sixth with a time of 7:44.30.

In the closest race of the day, Virginia’s Novice Eight (coxswain Erin Friedlander, Allison Lyons, Erin Metcalf, Taylor Levine, Sandy Suhling, Susanne Grainger, Molly Schwoebel, Ainsley Lastner, Ann Reid) was edged by Wisconson by six one-hundredths of a second to finish second in the Grand Final. Wisconsin’s winning time was 6:44.38 and Virginia’s second-place time was 6:44.44.

“It’s exciting to have success at this championship over the last several years,” associate head coach Steve Pritzker said. “The depth of our team is something that we take a lot of pride in and we are looking forward to improving in each event over the next two weeks.”

The teams earning a bid to the 2010 NCAA Championships (May 28-30 at Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif.) will be announced on Tuesday, May 18 at 5 p.m.

2010 South/Central Regional Championships
May 16, 2010
Final Team Standings

South/Central Overall Standings (Aramark Cup)
Place, Team, Points
1. Virginia, 451
2. Wisconsin, 405
3. Michigan State, 387
4. Michigan, 386
5. Clemson, 369
6. Ohio State, 360
7. Tennessee, 312
8. Iowa, 293
9. Notre Dame, 269
10. Minnesota, 249
11. Central Florida, 219
12. Texas, 217
13. Louisville, 216
14. Oklahoma, 186
15. Duke, 156
16. Indiana, 154
17. Indiana, 154
18. Alabama, 140
19. Tulsa, 126
20. Kansas, 111
21. SMU, 75
22. Kansas State, 56
23. Miami, 45
24. Dayton, 26
25. Eastern Michigan, 21

South Region Standings
1. Virginia, 451
2. Clemson, 369
3. Tennessee, 312
4. Central Florida, 219
5. Texas, 217
6. Louisville, 216
7. Oklahoma, 186
8. Duke, 156
9. Alabama, 140
10. Tulsa, 126
11. SMU, 75
12. Miami, 45

Central Region Standings
1. Wisconsin, 405
2. Michigan State, 387
3. Michigan, 386
4. Michigan, 386
5. Ohio State, 360
6. Iowa, 293
7. Notre Dame, 269
8. Minnesota, 249
9. Indiana, 154
10. Kansas, 111
11. Kansas State, 56
12. Dayton, 26
13. Eastern Michigan, 21
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2010 South/Central Regional Championships
May 16, 2010
Finals Results
Varsity Eight
GRAND FINAL: 1. Virginia (6:23.70), 2. Michigan State (6:28.47), 3. Clemson (6:31.46), 4. Michigan (6:31.84), 5. Wisconsin (6:36.54), 6. Tennessee (6:39.73)

Second Varsity Eight
GRAND FINAL: 1. Virginia (6:38.00), 2. Wisconsin (6:40.04), 3. Ohio State (6:41.20), 4. Michigan (6:41.84), 5. Clemson (6:48.24), 6. Tennessee (6:50.78)

Varsity Four
GRAND FINAL: 1. Virginia (7:24.40), 2. Wisconsin (7:28.48), 3. Michigan State (7:30.88), 4. Iowa (7:36.79), 5. Michigan (7:37.48), 6. Clemson (7:43.93)

Open Four
GRAND FINAL: 1. Virginia ‘B’ (7:32.20), 2. Virginia ‘A’ (7:36.41), 3. Clemson (7:39.06), 4. Ohio State (7:42.16), 5. Wisconsin ‘A’ (7:42.65), 6. Virginia ‘C’ (7:44.30)

Novice Eight
GRAND FINAL: 1. Wisconsin (6:44.38), 2. Virginia (6:44.44), 3. Ohio State (6:55.50), 4. Michigan (6:58.28), 5. Michigan State (7:00.52), 6. Notre Dame (7:00.76)

VIRGINIA LINE-UPS
Varsity Eight: Sidney Thorsten (c), Jennifer Cromwell, Katrin Reinert, Desiree Burns, Kristine O’Brien, Martha Kuzzy, Helen Tompkins, Nora Phillips, Summers Nelson

Second Varsity Eight: Cristine Candland (c), Victoria Burke, Marie Long, Lauren Hutchins, Sarah Borchelt, Keziah Beall, Christine Roper, Claudia Blandford, Lauren Shook

Varsity Four: Sarah Pichardo (c), Ruth Retzinger, Hunter Terry, Chelsea Simpson, Inge Janssen

Novice Eight: Erin Friedlander (c), Allison Lyons, Erin Metcalf, Taylor Levine, Sandy Suhling, Susanne Grainger, Molly Schwoebel, Ainsley Lastner, Ann Reid

Open Four ‘A’: Molly Frear (c), MacKenzie Leahy, Betsy Nilan, Cara Linnenkohl, Lieve Pitts

Open Four ‘B’: Sarah Shanfield (c), Susie Chalker, Francesca Lauritano, Morgan Joseph, Jenny Shultis

Open Four ‘C’: Miriam Kaplan (c), Caroline Sweeny, Marelle Myers, Erin Hawes, Carolyn Glandorf