UVA Places 11th at NCAA Rowing Championships
May 28, 2017
WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Virginia rowed to an 11th-place finish in the team standings at the NCAA Championships Sunday (May 28) on Mercer Lake in West Windsor Township, N.J.
Virginia’s Varsity Four and Varsity Eight each placed 10th overall, while the Second Varsity Eight placed 12th on final-day action.
Washington won the event with 132 points and became the first women’s program in NCAA Division I to sweep all three races at the event. California (123), Michigan (112), Texas (108), Ohio State (106) and Stanford (105) rounded out the top-6. Yale (96), Brown (91), Wisconsin (86), Princeton (85), Virginia (74) and Indiana (62) completed the top-12. The 11th-place showing marked UVA’s lowest in 20 NCAA championship appearances.
“The kids raced hard and left it all on the water today,” Virginia head coach Kevin Sauer said. “We finished 11th and that’s not where we want to be, but it is where we are. It was a tough championship, it really was. We made some improvements from the beginning of the year. It’s just a great group of kids who work really hard and they responded to adversity really well. This championship was a learning experience for all of us and we’ll be better for it.”
The Varsity Four placed fourth in the petite final and 10th overall. Wisconsin won the heat at 7:26.277, followed by Yale (7:27.617), Stanford (7:30.875), UVA (7:37.187), Syracuse (7:43.588) and Iowa (7:43.903).
UVA’s Second Varsity Eight placed sixth in the petite final and 12th overall. Texas won the race at 6:48.403, followed by Yale (6:49.793), Stanford (6:50.22), Princeton (6:51.088), Syracuse (6:56.138) and Virginia (6:56.760).
In the Varsity Eight, the Cavaliers placed fourth in the petite final and 10th overall. Ohio State won the heat at 6:45.654, followed by Brown (6:47.459), Princeton (6:47.813), UVA (6:49.534), Wisconsin (6:50.566) and Indiana (6:55.128).
The NCAA Rowing Championships marked the final collegiate regatta for UVA seniors Erin Briggs (Orono, Minn.), Jo Gurman (Weston, Conn.), Colette Lucas-Conwell (Palo Alto, Calif.), Allie Nicholson (Charlottesville, Va.), Ellen Pate (Lafayette, Calif), Georgia Ratcliff (Falls Church, Va.), Karen Schulte (Trout Run, Pa.), Grace Tuttle (Vienna, Va.) and Ali Zwicker (Victoria, British Columbia).
“Our senior class was special, and what they contributed to the program and the legacy they’re leaving,” Sauer added.
Final Team Standings
1. Washington — 132
2. California — 123
3. Michigan — 112
4. Texas — 108
5. Ohio State — 106
6. Stanford — 105
7. Yale — 96
8. Brown — 91
9. Wisconsin — 86
10. Princeton — 85
11. Virginia — 74
12. Indiana — 62
13. Syracuse — 60
14. Washington St. — 56
15. Iowa — 54
16. Notre Dame — 40
17. Northeastern — 38
18. UCF — 28
19. Gonzaga — 25
20. Navy — 16
21. UMass — 15
22. Jacksonville — 6
Sunday’s Results
Varsity Four Petite Final
1. Wisconsin, 7:26.277; 2. Yale, 7:27.617; 3. Stanford, 7:30.875; 4. Virginia, 7:37.187; 5. Syracuse, 7:43.588; 6. Iowa, 7:43.903
Second Varsity Eight Petite Final
1. Texas, 6:48.403; 2. Yale, 6:49.793; 3. Stanford 6:50.22; 4. Princeton, 6:51.088, 5. Syracuse, 6:56.138, 6. Virginia, 6:56.760
Varsity Eight Petite Final
1. Ohio State, 6:45.654; 2. Brown, 6:47.813; 3. Princeton, 6:47.813; 4. Virginia, 6:49.534; 5. Wisconsin, 6:50.566; 6. Indiana, 6:55.128
Virginia Lineups
Varsity Eight
Coxswain Colette Lucas-Conwell, Stroke: Allie Nicholson, 7: Anna Fairs, 6: Erin Briggs, 5: Georgia Ratcliff, 4: Jane Hudson, 3: Ellen Pate, 2: Heidi Long, Bow: Alice Darry
Second Varsity Eight
Coxswain Izzi Weiss, Stroke: Reilly White, 7: Karen Schulte, 6: Alex Slabbert, 5: Morgan Rosts, 4: Isabella Strickler, 3: Grace Tuttle, 2: Ali Zwicker, Bow: Toni Wiersma
Varsity Four
Coxswain Maria Zeris, Stroke: Jo Gurman, 3: Mackenzie Springer, 2: Mackenzie King, Bow: Lizzie Trull