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Rowing Takes Women's Overall Trophy at SIRA Championships

April 22, 2007

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - Paced by a pair of wins in the varsity and second varsity eight races, the UCF rowing team claimed the women's overall points trophy at the 2006 Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championships at Melton Lake on Sunday.

The varsity eight continued its hot streak as the Knights won their 11th race of the spring season. The boat, which featured coxswain Katie Chapman, Caitlin Pauls, Krystina Sarff, Stephanie Pauls, Tara Rogers, Tanis Franchuk, Melissa Westhoff, Stephanie Adams and Erin Riegel took top honors with a time of 6:38.2 to finish ahead of Sacramento State at 6:47.0.

In the second varsity eight, UCF's entry of coxswain Erika Venza, Robin Capers, Brittney Kusner, Erika Frantz, Eleni Roussos, Danielle Leen, Erin Bernier, Meagan Harrell, and Pamela Wall also finished first at 6:53.0, three seconds before Sacramento State.

The Knights were second in both the varsity four and novice eight. On Saturday, the second novice eight captured first place.

It was the second time that UCF earned the women's SIRA title under head coach Leeanne Crain's leadership as the Knights also won in 2005. They opted not to compete at the 2006 SIRA Championships.

After a three-week hiatus, UCF returns to the competitive waters for the South/Central Regional Championship, which takes place from May12-13 at Melton Lake. For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports.

Varsity Eight
1. UCF, 6:38.2
2. Sacramento State, 6:47.0
3. Kansas State, 6:49.9
4. Ohio State 6:52.0
5. Purdue, 6:53.0
6. Cincinnati, 6:54.3

Second Varsity Eight
1. UCF, 6:53.0
2. Sacramento State, 6:56.6
3. Kansas State, 7:02.4
4. Cincinnati. 7:08.6
5. Purdue, 7:16.3
6. Tulsa, 7:17.1
7. Alabama, 7:20.2

Varsity Four
1. West Virginia, 7:37.9
2. UCF, 7:43.4
3. Cincinnati, 7:48.0
4. Ohio State, 7:59.4
5. NSU, 8:03.7
6. Murray State, 8:09.4

Novice Eight
1. Kansas State, 7:07.3
2. UCF, 7:16.3
3. Purdue, 7:16.8
4. Sacramento State, 7:19.3
5. Louisville, 7:21.1
6. Alabama, 7:21.3