April 9, 2005
TAMPA - The UCF women's rowing team earned its eighth state title at the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association (FIRA) Championship on Saturday at Tampa's Bypass Canal.
After posting the top time in the heats on Friday afternoon, the Varsity Eight of Caitlin Pauls, Kyla Smith, Tanya Kleisler, Melissa Westhoff, Amy Price, Krystina Sarff, Katherine Motes, Mary Rosser and cox Lisa Beltran started off Saturday's competition by winning its race. The Knights' time of 6:15.6 was 13 seconds better than second place Miami.
The Golden Knights also took top prize in the Junior Varsity Eight. In the Lightweight Eight event, the UCF varsity and novice entries finished one-two ahead of Jacksonville.
UCF's Novice Eight of Kayla Reiff, Jessica Lorne, Laurel Elmore, Erin Riegel, Katrina Gavette, Megan Kranz, Eleni Roussos, Katie Fulton and coxswain Jenni Brooks earned first place with a time of 6:52.9, while Miami was second at 7:03.11.
The Second Novice Eight also won its event.
After settling for second best in many of last year's events, the Golden Knights took five of the seven races in 2005 and reclaimed the Shirley B. Negaard Trophy as overall women's point champion.
"The team has made great strides in just one year," said second-year head coach Leeanne Crain.
The Golden Knights return to action at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship on April 16 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Among the competitors they will meet there is two-time NCAA participant Tennessee.
UCF Results
Varsity Eight
1. UCF, 6:15.6
2. Miami, 6:28.2
3. Nova Southeastern, 6:31.6
4. FIT, 6:31.8
5. Barry, 6:34.1
6. Jacksonville, 6:51.7
Junior Varsity Eight
1. UCF, 6:39.9
2. Miami, 6:45.2
Lightweight Eight
1. UCF "A", 6:56.0
2. UCF "B", 7:08.7
3. Jacksonville, 7:14.9
Novice Eight
1. UCF, 6:52.9
2. Miami, 7:03.11
3. Jacksonville, 7:09.4
4. Florida, 7:44.4
5. Tampa, 7:39.4
6. USF, 9:30.7
Junior Varsity Four
1. Miami "A", 7:38.1
2. Miami "B", 7:44.2
3. UCF, 7:46.9
4. Nova Southeastern, 8:05.4
5. FIT, 8:25.2
6. Stetson, 8:47.5
Second Novice Eight
1. UCF, 7:27.6
2. Tampa, 8:04.3
Varsity Four
1. Miami, 7:22.9
2. Nova Southeastern, 7:23.6
3. Barry, 7:32.7
4. UCF, 7:42.5
5. FIT, 7:51.8
6. Jacksonville, 7:58.11