Cougar women row into 8th place

June 2, 2008

By Communications staff, Washington State University

GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Washington State University’s women’s rowing team capped its 2008 season with an eighth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships, Sunday at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.

The eighth-place finish is the second-highest in school history, trailing the fourth-place showing in 2006, and ahead of 2003 and 2004, when the Cougars placed 12th and ninth, respectively. The varsity eight boat received an at-large bid in 2002 and finished 13th.

“It was a great way to end the year, I could not have asked for anything more,” said WSU Head Coach Jane LaRiviere. “This team has worked hard all year and they earned the right to have a successful day.”

In the varsity eight Petite Final, the Cougars began in lane five and were fifth at the 1,000-meter mark. But as the second varsity eight and varsity four boats did in preceding races Sunday, WSU used a strong finish to move up two spots over the second half of the course to finish third. The Cougars jumped Southern California and Princeton in the third 500 meters then posted the second-fastest split over the last quarter of the race to finish third, as Harvard won the Petite Final in a time of 6:35.30, followed by Virginia (6:38.50), WSU (6:42.40), USC (6:43.32), Michigan and Princeton.

“I think it is a real tribute to the attitudes we had all year,” said LaRiviere. “The work they put in consistently in September, October and November is what helped them in the third 500 of (today’s) race. They are competitive kids and there was a real feeling they wanted to have their best race of the season, which they did. It is a great way to send (seniors) Kelly O’Brien and Tiana Rodriquez into alumni status because they have been very important in the progress of this program.”

In the second varsity eight, the Cougars were in fourth place after the first 500 meters and made a late charge to finish second behind Wisconsin in the Petite Final. By the midway mark of the race the Cougars were still in fourth but made a charge over the next 500 meters to move into third ahead of Yale. The last quarter of the race belonged to WSU as the Cougars split time of 1:41.97 was a second and a half ahead of the field, cutting Wisconsin’s final margin of victory to just over a second. The Cougars finished in 6:51.42, their fastest time in three days of racing, just behind Wisconsin’s 6:50.34. Yale finished third, Michigan State fourth, followed by Harvard and Princeton.

The varsity four boat rowed first Sunday, finishing second in the Petite Final to Ohio State. The Cougars time of 7:38.47 was its fastest at the 2008 Championships in three races. WSU jumped out quick, taking the lead at 500 meters over Ohio State and Wisconsin. By the midway point of the race, Ohio State captured the lead and did not relinquish as it en route to winning the race in a time of 7:34.33. WSU, in a battle with Wisconsin at the 1,500 meter mark, pulled away from the Badgers to finish comfortably in second, followed by Wisconsin, Princeton, Tennessee and Harvard.

“The varsity four got the ball rolling for us and had a strong race and the 2-V boat took advantage of good lane position and also had a strong race,” said LaRiviere. “I have to give a nod to the coaching staff as Tara (Medina) did a great job with the (varsity) four and Paul Hawksworth did a really good job with the 2-V.

(Today’s showing) totally validates the strong season we had,” LaRiviere continued. “I am really proud of them and I think the future of Cougar rowing is bright. Last year was a long summer and this is going to be a short summer. I am going to want to start coaching before they come back.”

2008 NCAA ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sacramento State Aquatic Center
Lake Natoma
Gold River, Calif.
May 30 – June 1

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Brown, 67; 2. Washington, 59; 3. California, 53; 4. Yale, 51; 5. Virginia, 47; 6. Michigan State, 38; 7. Ohio State, 34; 8. WASHINGTON STATE, 30; 9. Harvard, 26; 10. Wisconsin, 25; 11. Tennessee, 21; 12. Princeton, 17.

VARSITY 8
Grand Final
1. Yale, 6:34.05; 2. Stanford, 6:34.95; 3. Brown, 6:35.25; 4. California, 6:36.21; 5. Washington, 6:38.25; 6. Michigan State, 6:40.26.

Petite Final
1. Harvard, 6:35.30; 2. Virginia 6:38.52; 3. WASHINGTON STATE, 6:42.40; 4. Southern California, 6:43.32; 5. Michigan 6:43.91; 6. Princeton, 6:45.04.
WSU Lineup – cox-Kelly O’Brien, stroke-Irena Neffeova, 7-Karin Brevick, 6-Kyann Martin, 5-Sarah Powell, 4-Monica Teague, 3-Hannah Rothstrom, 2-Tiana Rodriquez, bow-Erica Lewis.

Third Final
1. Wisconsin, 6:41.98; 2. Clemson, 6:43.33; 3. Ohio State, 6:45.83; 4. Tennessee, 6:49.19.

SECOND VARSITY 8
Grand Final
1. Brown, 6:42.42; 2. Ohio State, 6:44.87; 3. Washington, 6:48.41; 4. Virginia, 6:49.88; 5. Tennessee, 6:51.60; 6. California, 6:52.15.

Petite Final
1. Wisconsin, 6:50.34; 2. WASHINGTON STATE, 6:51.72; 3. Yale, 6:54.14; 4. Michigan State, 6:56.48; 5. Harvard, 6:56.50; 6. Princeton, 7:06.31.
WSU Lineup – cox-Corina Chilibeck, stroke-Amy Brevick, 7-Erika Jorgensen, 6-Phillippa Summerville, 5-Christina Kinck, 4-Justine Galbraith, 3-Lauren Johnson, 2-Carly Farris, bow-Natasha Ostopovich.

VARSITY 4
Grand Final,br> 1. Washington, 7:24.75; 2. Virginia, 7:26.09; 3. Brown, 7:29.77; 4. California, 7:33.10; 5. Michigan State, 7:33.99; 6. Yale, 6:41.82

Petite Final
1. Ohio State, 7:34.33; 2. WASHINGTON STATE, 7:38.47; 3. Wisconsin, 7:43.39; 4. Princeton, 7:45.54; 5. Tennessee, 7:45.70; 6. Harvard, 7:52.74
WSU Lineup – cox- Tara McTavish, stroke-Jamie Deyette, 3-Michelle Mindemann, 2-Katie Wollstein, bow-Patricia Schlachter.