May 17, 2013
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andrew Jennette
UCFAthletics.com
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF rowing team is ready to compete for the 2013 Conference USA Women's Rowing Championship. The event takes place Saturday, May 18, at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
This is the fourth annual C-USA Rowing Championship, and the first that will provide the champion an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship.
Preliminary heats, beginning with Varsity 8 races, are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. EDT Saturday on the 2,000-meter course. C-USA will determine the team champion based on placement in Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Varsity Four races. Team and individual awards will be presented at a ceremony following the regatta.
UCF will take on Alabama in the second varsity eight heat, West Virginia in the varsity four heat and Old Dominion in the varsity eight heat.
Beyond the Knights, Conference USA has three full-time members that sponsor women's rowing: SMU and Tulsa. Eight additional programs serve as affiliate members in the league: Alabama, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Old Dominion, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia. Host Tennessee won the team titles in 2010 and 2012, while Texas was the 2011 team champion.
Oklahoma enters the weekend ranked No. 5 in the NCAA South Region. The Sooner Second Varsity 8, a three-time Conference USA Boat of the Week selection, ranks second in the South. Defending champion Tennessee's Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 4 boats are also ranked in the South Region.
UCF Race Lineups
Varsity 8
8. Ginni Dunlop
7. Calena Illan
6. Brianne Addison
5. Camille Everett
4. Angelie Denizard
3. Olivia Staples
2. Carly Burleson
1. Alison Ponce
Coxswain Heather Hart
2nd Varsity 8
8. Lauren Copeland
7. Erin Corrigan
6. Kayla Thieken
5. Dana Distefano
4. Lauren Wasko
3. Shelby Flynn
2. Kelly Thiele
1. Carla Ortiz
Coxswain Monica Rooker
Varsity 4
4. Nicole Lacek
3. Noelle Crosby
2. Cristina Sotomayor
1. Alex McManus
Coxswain Chelsea McCaulley