Women's Rowing Travels To Southern Championships
April 18, 2002
For a view of the Melton Hill Race Course log on to: http://www.orra.org/location.htm
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – University of Miami women’s rowing travels to Oak Ridge, Tenn., for the 34th annual Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship this Saturday and Sunday on Melton Hill Lake.
Last season, the Hurricanes’ varsity eight rowed to a Silver medal finish behind Clemson in the Grand final, while the varsity pair won a Gold and the JV eight won the Petite final. The varsity eight won the SIRA in 1999.
The varsity eight for this Saturday’s heats will be Jenny Lee (coxswain), Jenny Krawec, Anna Cohen, Marijka VanderPol, Jacqui Julien, Jordanna Heywood, Monika Manios,Mandy Turner and Ananda Chou.
Racing in the first women’s varsity eight heat of the morning, UM will start in the middle of the course with crews from Florida Tech, and Purdue on one side and from UCF and Georgia on the other. Semifinal races are later Saturday afternoon with the Grand and Petite finals on Sunday.
“We have had a great week of practice with some various line-up changes that has resulted in some increased boat speed,” said Head Coach Debra Morgan.
The JV eight will feature Meg Venezia (coxswain), Kate Weeden, Caroline Stuart, Julie Crane, Alli Nelson, Maggie Knuth, Yassi Hairinia, Sara Grossman and Yennisha Pino.
Most recently, the second varsity eight took the place of the first at the Florida Intercollegiate Championship last weekend, while the varsity was on the west coast competing at the Whittier Cup in San Diego. The second eight finished within .5 seconds of UCF for first place.
“The JV boat has really come together and is excited to race in the JV category after racing in the varsity category at state championships,” added Morgan. They proved to themselves that they can hang with the varsity crews in Florida, so they are excited to see what they can do against JV boats in the southern region.”
The JV eight heats start in the afternoon with the Hurricanes again in the middle lane between Southern Methodist and Tennessee and Purdue, Barry and Grand Valley.
Rowing in the varsity four is april runkle (coxswain), Laraine Martin, Melissa Saunders, Rachel Sander and Dorothy Clay. The JV four includes Gaby Scovazzo (coxswain), Tyler McHugh-Merrill, Trisha Blackwell, Liz Miller and Bernadette Lack.
“The varsity four and JV four are making major progress daily,” said Morgan. “The varsity four is coming off a win at the state championships two weeks ago, so they are confident heading into this weekend.”
The varsity four will race in the fourth and final heat in lane four between SCAD and Delaware, NSU and Clemson. The JV four will race Stetson, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Marietta.
The novice eight competing this weekend consists of Marueen Haley (coxswain), Ericka Miller, Joelyn Manula, Patrice Wakeley, Michelle Owens, Lisa Beezer, Deirdre Curran, Cory Bell and Mary Radinski. The novice four is Dana Litt (coxswain), Harlee Bustamante, May Lauron, Alana Smith and Makana Tocman.
The novice four heats start the SIRA Saturday morning with UM rowing in the fourth heat in lane two with Vanderbilt, Grand Valley, Tennessee, Tampa, Murray State and Purdue. The novice eights are next with UM in heat three, Lane four with Ohio, Marietta, NC State and West Virginia.
