WVU Completes Day One at Oak Ridge Invite
March 12, 2016 08:56 PM | Rowing
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University rowing team completed day one of the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational today at the Melton Lake Rowing Venue in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
“Our crews performed well today in terms of executing their first race of the year,” said coach Jimmy King. “We’re asking some first-year rowers to step into roles we wouldn’t normally ask of them at the start of the season, but they have responded very well. We made improvements after the morning round of racing, and we will look to make more improvements tomorrow.”
The two-day regatta is hosted by Louisville, as West Virginia competed in first varsity eight, second varsity eight and first varsity four races on the first day of competition on the 2,000-meter course.
The 12-team field highlighted a trio of teams ranked in this week’s USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Poll, along with three Big 12 opponents. WVU and No. 20 Louisville were joined by No. 4 Virginia, No. 11 Michigan, No. 17 Notre Dame, Alabama, UCF, Clemson, Kansas, Michigan State, Minnesota and Oklahoma.
The Mountaineers opened the day in the first varsity eight against Louisville, Notre Dame and Minnesota. WVU’s first varsity eight crossed the finish line in 6:56.61, while the Cardinals took first with a time of 6:30.52. The Mountaineers second varsity eight finished in 7:09.56, behind Notre Dame, Minnesota and Louisville.
In the first varsity four, WVU’s boat placed fourth and crossed the line in 8:10.10 to complete the Mountaineers’ morning races.
The lineups were changed in the afternoon session, as the team continues to work toward finding the right lineup combination for the championship portion of its season.
West Virginia competed against UCF, Michigan and Louisville in the afternoon sessions. In the first varsity eight race, the Mountaineers finished in 6:45.23, behind the Spartans, Cardinals and Knights. The Spartans won the heat with a time of 6:15.90. The second varsity crew for WVU took fourth in its race with a time of 6:56.76.
The first varsity four crew finished the day for the Mountaineers, as the team placed fourth with a time of 7:59.51, behind Michigan, Louisville and UCF.
Competition from Melton Lake begins at 9:14 a.m. ET, on Sunday, with West Virginia’s first varsity eight race starting at 10:10 a.m.
Following tomorrow’s races, the Mountaineers are idle until the North Carolina Duals on Friday, March 25, in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Lake Wheeler.
MORNING SESSION LINEUPS/RESULTS
First Varsity Eight: Coxswain Emily Deming, Elizabeth Kantak, Sadie Kalathunkal, Emma Preston, Megan Brophy, Elizabeth Young, Susannah Hartlove, Carly Ledbetter and Emily Stasi
Results:
- Louisville (6:30.52)
- Notre Dame (6:31.88)
- Minnesota (6:38.98)
- West Virginia (6:56.61)
Second Varsity Eight: Coxswain Brittany James, Louisa Morgan, Lillian Westerman, Alisha Brownfield, Aria Asselta, Grace Dever, Elizabeth Hooper, Jacqueline Spiropoulos and Abbigail Rees
Results:
- Notre Dame (6:35.04)
- Minnesota (6:39.65)
- Louisville (6:45.86)
- West Virginia (7:09.56)
First Varsity Four: Coxswain Kaitlin Sullivan, Alexis Brown, Lorena Rose, Madison Stepp and Amy Hoaglund
Results:
- Louisville (7:20.09)
- Minnesota (7:28.23)
- Notre Dame (7:30.73)
- West Virginia (8:10.10)
AFTERNOON SESSION LINEUPS/RESULTS
First Varsity Eight: Coxswain Emily Deming, Elizabeth Kantak, Sadie Kalathunkal, Emma Preston, Louisa Morgan, Elizabeth Young, Megan Brophy, Susannah Hartlove and Emily Stasi
Results:
- Michigan (6:15.90)
- Louisville (6:23.47)
- UCF (6:27.62)
- West Virginia (6:45.23)
Second Varsity Eight: Coxswain Brittany James, Alisha Brownfield, Lillian Westerman, Alexis Brown, Carly Ledbetter, Grace Dever, Elizabeth Hooper, Jacqueline Spiropoulos and Aria Asselta
Results:
- Michigan (6:20.79)
- Louisville (6:30.53)
- UCF (6:49.76)
- West Virginia (6:56.76)
First Varsity Four: Coxswain Courtney Caugh, Abbigail Rees, Lorena Rose, Amy Hoaglund and Madison Stepp
Results:
- Michigan (7:04.45)
- Louisville (7:13.78)
- UCF (7:39.36)
- West Virginia (7:59.51)
Sunday, March 13 Race Schedule
10:10 a.m. – first varsity eight
10:18 a.m. – first varsity four
10:34 a.m. – second varsity eight
Alumni Series | Louisa Morgan Hoogduin
Wednesday, April 15
Alumni Series | Rachel Viglianco Wagner
Monday, April 06
Alumni Series | Kate Brownson
Thursday, March 12
Alumni Series | Barb Navarini Higgins
Tuesday, February 24
