WVU Rowing Has Strong Showing at George Mason Invitational

Sunday, April 21

Fairfax Station, Va.

West Virginia University

George Mason Invitational

WVU Rowing Has Strong Showing at George Mason Invitational

April 23, 2024 12:49 PM | Rowing

By: Farris Murad

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University rowing team had a successful Sunday competing in the George Mason Invitational in Fairfax Station, Virginia, on the Occoquan Reservoir at Sandy Run Regional Park.

"It was a great weekend of racing for us," WVU associate head coach Tina Griffith said. "Between the weather and other circumstances, this was the first time the full team was able to have a traditional weekend of racing."

Highlighting the weekend for WVU was the 2V4+, starting the day with a first-place finish in their heat and finished by winning the grand final by more than seven seconds.

"While all of the boats did a great job, the 2V4+ was exceptional," Griffith said. "They laid down two excellent races and convincingly won in both the heats and in the grand finals to earn the win. After a solid weekend of racing, we are all ready and anxious to get after the things that will help us to improve between now and Big 12's."

The 2V4+ and 3V4+ were combined to compete in one event. The Mountaineers' 3V4+ had a good showing in a field primarily made up of 2V4+'s, finishing second in their heat and advancing to the grand final, where they placed fifth.

In the morning, the 1V4+ battled with George Washington, finishing in second by two seconds but making it to the grand final later in the day. In the afternoon, WVU found themselves battling with GW once again and closely missing third place by just half a second.

The 2V8+ had a good start and took second place to Delaware in their heat, also advancing to the grand final. They made timely adjustments and had a good showing, missing a third-place finish by less than a second.

In the 1V8+ race, WVU started the morning with a fourth-place finish in their heat and battled to a second-place finish in the petite finals.

The 3V8+ field was made up of less than six entries, so each boat raced once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The Mountaineers held consistency, finishing fourth in both races. With morning to afternoon adjustments, WVU was able to finish closer to the fourth-place boat and pulled away more from the fifth-place boat.

The Mountaineers return to action Saturday, May 4 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to take on Duquesne.

George Mason Invitational Lineup
Boat                Rowers (stroke to bow with coxswain)
1V8+                Abigail Yingling, Teegan Wendley, Ashlea Clark, Violet Hewett, Anna Gall, Grace
                        Armstrong, Katherine Capitan, Ryleigh Williams with Emily DeGlopper
2V8+                Alexandra Farron, Samantha Krankowski, Nikolina Djordjevic, Grace Cronen,
                        Laurna Atkins, Isabelle Totton, Alexis Mitchell, Lauren Mueller with Grace Terlion
1V4+                Ksenia Kaludjerovic, Una Ilic, Adriana Hogan, Emma Higgins with Grace Holliday
2V4+                Samantha Perro, Hannah Fowler, Addison Dobson, Christina Brunette with Grace Fay
3V8+                Ryleigh Rosta, Bailey South, Samantha Spencer, Ashlynn Skeba, Olivia Martens,
                        Kendall Kirkwood, Kayley Davis, Kelsey Riemer with Rachel Oliver
3V4+                Jessica Gaston, Greta Giuliano, Mariella Wilson, Cylie Leidy with Bridget Kiely