WVU Places Fifth at Big 12 Championship
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 17, 2015) – The West Virginia University rowing squad placed fifth at the 2015 Big 12 Rowing Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with senior Elizabeth Duarte named to the All-Big 12 Rowing Team, Sunday morning.
The Mountaineers finished fifth in the team standings, amassing 52 points. Texas won all five races to claim the Big 12 crown as well as the Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The league title is the fifth for the No. 11-ranked Longhorns, and second since rowing became a fully-supported Big 12 sport in 2011-12.
Oklahoma took second with 107 team points, while Kansas State rounded out the top-three with 89 points.
“The lineups in all of our crews changed since our last regatta two weeks ago. Despite racing untested lineups many of our crews raced quite well over the weekend led by the First Varsity Four,” said coach Jimmy King. “Coach Van Order did a great job of bringing both of our fours into racing shape on short notice and those crew members responded very well to the challenge.”
The First Varsity Four crossed the line in 7:58.13, and placed fifth out of eight boats in the Grand Final, just one second shy of Tennessee’s crew. Texas won the event with a time of 7:35.40.
The Second Varsity Eight recorded a time of 7:17.16 to finish in sixth place out of eight boats in the Grand Final. Texas won the event, posting a time of 7:02.45.
“Our first and second varsity eights also responded well to the changes. Had the First Varsity Eight executed a bit better in their heat they would have most likely joined their teammates in the Grand Final,” King stated. “They followed-up yesterday’s disappointment with a complete race in today’s Petite Final.”
The First Varsity Eight tallied a time of 7:07.39, defeating Old Dominion in the Petite Final.
“We’ve had a difficult season full of illnesses and injuries that tested our mettle unlike ever before,” King explained. “The resilience and determination displayed by many on this team have been quite inspiring. Despite the difficulties, the departing seniors leave the team with a stronger foundation on which to build next year.”
First Varsity Eight (Petite Final)
West Virginia (7:07.39)
Old Dominion (7:18.39)
Lineup: Melinda Sharon, Colleen Giesbrecht, Kelly Kramer, Elizabeth Duarte, Louisa Morgan, Aria Asselta, Elizabeth Kantak, Emily Stasi and coxswain Abigail Harris
Second Varsity Eight (Grand Final)
Texas (6:52.18)
Tennessee (7:02.45)
Kansas State (7:04.93)
Alabama (7:06.80)
Oklahoma (7:09.63)
West Virginia (7:17.16)
Lineup: Anna Cokeley, Alisha Brownfield, Sadie Kalathunkal, Rebecca Gehring, Emma Preston, Susannah Hartlove, Rachel Cokeley, Lisa Deklau and coxswain Brittany James
Third Varsity Eight (Petite Final)
Old Dominion (7:36.27)
West Virginia (7:55.00)
Lineup: Jacqueline Hunter, Irene Darkwaah, Sarah Mitchell, Elizabeth Hooper, Lorena Rose, Mollie Fisher, Olivia White, Marika Hoskins and coxswain Courtney Caugh
First Varsity Four (Grand Final)
Texas (7:35.40)
Oklahoma (7:37.35)
Kansas (7:52.19)
Tennessee (7:57.81)
West Virginia (7:58.13)
Alabama (8:02.54)
Lineup: Madison James, Kaitlyn Eason, Lillian Westerman, Megan Brophy and coxswain Emily Deming
Second Varsity Four (Petite Final)
West Virginia (8:08.97)
Old Dominion (8:22.61)
Lineup: Abbigail Rees, Bethany Sapen, Kimberlie May, Addie Dulaney and coxswain Audrey Geise
Follow @WVUSports and @WVURowing on Twitter.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (May 17, 2015) – The West Virginia University rowing squad placed fifth at the 2015 Big 12 Rowing Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with senior Elizabeth Duarte named to the All-Big 12 Rowing Team, Sunday morning.
The Mountaineers finished fifth in the team standings, amassing 52 points. Texas won all five races to claim the Big 12 crown as well as the Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The league title is the fifth for the No. 11-ranked Longhorns, and second since rowing became a fully-supported Big 12 sport in 2011-12.
Oklahoma took second with 107 team points, while Kansas State rounded out the top-three with 89 points.
“The lineups in all of our crews changed since our last regatta two weeks ago. Despite racing untested lineups many of our crews raced quite well over the weekend led by the First Varsity Four,” said coach Jimmy King. “Coach Van Order did a great job of bringing both of our fours into racing shape on short notice and those crew members responded very well to the challenge.”
The First Varsity Four crossed the line in 7:58.13, and placed fifth out of eight boats in the Grand Final, just one second shy of Tennessee’s crew. Texas won the event with a time of 7:35.40.
The Second Varsity Eight recorded a time of 7:17.16 to finish in sixth place out of eight boats in the Grand Final. Texas won the event, posting a time of 7:02.45.
“Our first and second varsity eights also responded well to the changes. Had the First Varsity Eight executed a bit better in their heat they would have most likely joined their teammates in the Grand Final,” King stated. “They followed-up yesterday’s disappointment with a complete race in today’s Petite Final.”
The First Varsity Eight tallied a time of 7:07.39, defeating Old Dominion in the Petite Final.
“We’ve had a difficult season full of illnesses and injuries that tested our mettle unlike ever before,” King explained. “The resilience and determination displayed by many on this team have been quite inspiring. Despite the difficulties, the departing seniors leave the team with a stronger foundation on which to build next year.”
First Varsity Eight (Petite Final)
West Virginia (7:07.39)
Old Dominion (7:18.39)
Lineup: Melinda Sharon, Colleen Giesbrecht, Kelly Kramer, Elizabeth Duarte, Louisa Morgan, Aria Asselta, Elizabeth Kantak, Emily Stasi and coxswain Abigail Harris
Second Varsity Eight (Grand Final)
Texas (6:52.18)
Tennessee (7:02.45)
Kansas State (7:04.93)
Alabama (7:06.80)
Oklahoma (7:09.63)
West Virginia (7:17.16)
Lineup: Anna Cokeley, Alisha Brownfield, Sadie Kalathunkal, Rebecca Gehring, Emma Preston, Susannah Hartlove, Rachel Cokeley, Lisa Deklau and coxswain Brittany James
Third Varsity Eight (Petite Final)
Old Dominion (7:36.27)
West Virginia (7:55.00)
Lineup: Jacqueline Hunter, Irene Darkwaah, Sarah Mitchell, Elizabeth Hooper, Lorena Rose, Mollie Fisher, Olivia White, Marika Hoskins and coxswain Courtney Caugh
First Varsity Four (Grand Final)
Texas (7:35.40)
Oklahoma (7:37.35)
Kansas (7:52.19)
Tennessee (7:57.81)
West Virginia (7:58.13)
Alabama (8:02.54)
Lineup: Madison James, Kaitlyn Eason, Lillian Westerman, Megan Brophy and coxswain Emily Deming
Second Varsity Four (Petite Final)
West Virginia (8:08.97)
Old Dominion (8:22.61)
Lineup: Abbigail Rees, Bethany Sapen, Kimberlie May, Addie Dulaney and coxswain Audrey Geise
Follow @WVUSports and @WVURowing on Twitter.
