INDIANAPOLIS (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF rowing team advanced a pair of boats to the C Final and one to the D final during semifinal action at the 2019 NCAA Rowing Championships at Eagle Creek Park on Saturday.
For the fourth time in the last five years, UCF’s Varsity Eight earned a spot in the C Final, while the Varsity Four will make its first ever appearance in the C Final on Sunday.
To advance to the C Final, the boats needed to finish among the top three in their semifinal. The V8 sat in fourth place for 1500 meters down the course, but made a push in the final 500-meters to overtake Rhode Island and clinch their spot in the C Final.
The squad of Nicole Mayer, Lara Maule, Julie Poulsen, Grace Lindberg, Mia Cleary, Leslie Lajoie, Marija Medelinskaite, Edvina Nesukaityte and Luci Derrick crossed the line in 7:01.076, more than two seconds ahead of the Rams.
The Second Varsity Eight jumped out to a quick start, sitting nearly even with Harvard after the first 500 meters. The top four teams stayed close down the course, with UCF and Northeastern battling for the third spot.
The crew of Elena Esteban, Aly Derksen, Lauryn Bench, Maria Yim, Rusne Dziugyte, Shannon Perry, Michaela Gundrum, Rachel Rabinowitz and Abbie Pritchard, was edged by less than three-tenths of a second at the finish, crossing in 7:09.498 to Northeastern’s 7:09.223.
In the last five years, UCF’s Varsity Four has qualified for the D Final. On Saturday, the squad of Carlee Hoschouer, Chiara Ciullo, Jessica Matteson, Paula Parks and Amy Van Ryn made history for the program, advancing the boat to its first-ever C Final.
From the start, the Knights and Wisconsin jumped out to a quick start. The two continued to separate themselves from the pack, and finishing with open water between them and the remainder of the field. UCF crossed the line in 7:52.694, more than 16 seconds ahead of third-place Rhode Island.
The Varsity Four opens the final day of racing at 8:24 a.m. The Second Varsity Eight follows at 8:36 a.m. and the Varsity Eight rounds out the weekend at 9:12 a.m.
Live results will be available, as will a live stream of the action from the Indianapolis Rowing Center.