INDIANAPOLIS (UCFKnights.com) – The opening day of the 2019 NCAA Championship followed a pattern that has become familiar to the UCF rowing team this season.
Originally scheduled to begin racing at 9:12 a.m., the team was delayed due to debris on the course at Eagle Creek Park. First the start was pushed back 30 minutes. Then an hour. Then the morning session was pushed back to an afternoon session, changing the progression to get into their semifinal. Instead of racing twice, the team would learn which semifinal it would be racing in as soon as they crossed the line in their heats.
The Knights remained focused, taking it in stride as they had done all season. Nearly seven hours after its originally launch time, the Varsity Eight was on the water.
The V8 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 6:40.070. They finished fifth to advance to the C/D semifinal on Saturday.
The Second Varsity Eight, consisting of Elena Esteban, Aly Derksen, Lauryn Bench, Maria Yim, Rusne Dziugyte, Shannon Perry, Michaela Gundrum, Rachel Rabinowitz and Abbie Pritchard, rowed to a fourth place finish in the heats. The crew crossed the line in 6:41.260 to advance to the C/D semifinal on Saturday.
The Varsity Four jumped out to a strong start, sitting third after the first 500 meters. The crew of Carlee Hoschouer, Chiara Ciullo, Jessica Matteson, Paula Parks and Amy Van Ryn stayed in the top four over the final 1500 meters but were not able to close the gap and finished fourth in 7:22.920 to advance to the C/D semifinal on Saturday.
The Varsity Eight will race at 8:12 a.m. in the C/D semifinal. The Second Varsity Eight races at 9 a.m. in the C/D semifinal. The Varsity Four will race at either 9:48 a.m. or 10 a.m. in the C/D semifinal.
Live results will be available, as will a live stream of the action from the Indianapolis Rowing Center.