Rowing Opens Season with Split Squad Races

April 01, 2024 03:52 PM | Rowing

By: Farris Murad

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University rowing team opened its 2024 spring season this past weekend as a split squad, with four boats competing in the Sunshine State Invitational in Sarasota, Florida, and one boat participating in a race against Robert Morris and Duquesne, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"Sunshine State was a challenging opener to our spring season," WVU coach Jimmy King said. "In addition to the competition, Friday's weather conditions were quite challenging for us. Although our fours handled Friday's conditions relatively well, our eights did not. Our eights did, however, respond the next day with much improved racing."

The Sunshine State Invitational was held at Nathan Benderson Park, with heats on Friday and finals on Saturday. Teams that participated in the invitational included Boston College, Drexel, Jacksonville, Kansas State, Michigan State, Old Dominion, Stetson, Tulsa, UCF, Iowa, Kansas, Louisville, Massachusetts, Miami and North Carolina.

"Our 2V4+ had the best overall performance through the weekend," King said. They figured out what they didn't do well in Friday's heat then adjusted for Saturday's final, putting together a very solid early season race."

All four boats at the Sunshine State Invitational advanced from the heats on Friday to the petite finals on Saturday, resulting in the 1V8+ taking seventh with a time of 6:56.74, the 2V8+ securing fourth with a time of 6:59.72, the 1V4+ coming in at fifth with a time of 7:36.71 and the 2V4+ earning first with a time of 7:40.73.

"I think my boat did a wonderful job on Saturday, and I am so proud of them," junior coxswain of the 2V4+ Grace Fay said. "They executed the entire piece flawlessly, listened and responded to all my calls, and overall, had a great race. This is a great starting point for us, and I am so excited to see where the rest of the season takes us as we continue to get stronger and faster!"

Sunshine State Invitational Lineup
Boat                Rowers (stroke to bow w/ coxswain)
V8+                  Abigail Yingling, Teegan Wendley, Anna Gall, Grace Armstrong, Ashlea Clark, Violet Hewett, Katherine Capitan, Ryleigh Williams with
                        Emily DeGlopper
2V8+ Alexandra Farron, Samantha Krankowski, Nikolina Djordjevic, Isabelle Totten, Laurna Atkins, Emma Higgins, Alexis Mitchell, Lauren
                        Mueller with Grace Terlion
V4+                  Ksenia Kaludjerovic, Una Ilac, Adriana Hogan, Grace Cronen with Grace Holliday
2V4+                Samantha Perro, Christina Brunette, Addison Dobson, Hannah Fowler with Grace Fay

Sunshine State Invitational Results.
More information about the Sunshine State Invitational can be found here.

Meanwhile on the Ohio River in Pittsburgh on Friday and during the second race of the morning, WVU's 3V8+ squared off against Duquesne's 2V8+, defeating them by 11 seconds with a time of 8:17.08. Strong head winds and challenging currents led to the rest of racing being canceled after WVU's victory over Duquesne.

"This early-season race provided an excellent opportunity to compete against other squads and apply everything we've been practicing back in Morgantown," WVU assistant coach Mikie Sevick said.

Pittsburgh Results
West Virginia vs. Duquesne B
WVU: 8:17.08
Duquesne B: 8:28.15

Pittsburgh Lineup
Boat                Rowers (stroke to bow w/ coxswain)
3V8+                Kendall Kirkwood, Olivia Martens, Ashlynn Skeba, Bailey South, Jessica Gaston, Greta Giuliano, Kelsey Riemer, Ryleigh Rosta with
                        Bridget Kiely

Looking ahead this week for WVU rowing, it will host its annual Gold and Blue Regatta on Saturday, April 6, in Morgantown, West Virginia, on the Monongahela River.