SARASOTA - The Knights rowing team got two medals in the 2023 Sunshine State Invitational grand finals at Nathan Benderson Park.
After a minor delay due to a broken oar, The Knights' Second Varsity Eight boat capped off a successful weekend by taking first place in the grand finals with a time of 6:34.42. The crew, consisting of Mackenzie Harrod, Georgia Coyne, Charlotte Wiley, Lauren Montgomery, Annberlee Hothem, Kelly Brown, Hannah Lovejoy, Natasjia Voulanas and Emily Klysen, beat Miami by just under two seconds.
The Knights' second medal came from the Varsity Four squad, consisting of Sophia Tursi, Saskia Papsova, Martina Pischedda, Veronica Rush and Martyna Wasilewska. The boat crossed the finish line with a time of 7:19.43 and finished third, just behind Wisconsin and Michigan State.
The Second Varsity Four came in fifth in the grand final with a crew, consisting of Audrey Vilendrer, Bailey White, Aubrie Russo, Avery Bethel and Emily LaRochelle. The squad finished with a time of 7:32.43, just over two-and-a-half seconds behind first-place Kansas State.
The Knights' Varsity Eight, consisting of Sofia Soria, Anna Kayser Gallego, Emma Leavens, Emily Puia, Seyene Oord, Tegan Fookes, Aryann Johnson, Lindsey Buckreis and Connery Cassidy, came in seventh with a time of 6:41.58.
UCF's Third Varsity Eight boat came in fifth with a time of 7:23.33, consisting of Elsa Cassellius, Talyah Madison, Carolina Dovali, Ashley Tree, Ashley Tyles, Cate Maloney, Chloe Villani, Jordan Simeon and Brande Fox.
The Knights will be back next weekend at Nathan Benderson Park for the Big 10 Invite on April 7 and 8.
