Murray State University Athletics
Rowing Competes at SIRA Championships
4/21/2008 5:00:00 AM
The Murray State rowing team competed in the SIRA Championships this weekend, a two-day event held in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Things got off to a slow start on Saturday, as a one hour rain delay pushed everything back. The novice 4+ advanced from the morning heats with a time of 8:47.42, then moved on to the semifinal with a time of 8:57.38. This time advanced them to the final on Sunday morning.
The varsity eight advanced to the B Final on Sunday morning, completing the race in 6:40.99 in a 10-15 mile per hour tailwind, while the JV eight also advanced to the semifinals, posting a time of 7:19.83.
On Sunday, the team finished the race with a time of 9:09.09 in the the novice 4+ A finals. The Racers took first place in the varsity 8+ B finals, maintaining a 34 stroke per minute pace for the body throughout the entire race, and finishing with a time of 7:10.20. In the JV 8+ B final, MSU was able to hold off Alabama up through the first 1,250 feet, then Alabama made their move out front and never looked back, as MSU finished with the time of 7:27.15.
Rowing head coach Bill McLean was excited about how his team stacked up with strong national competition.
"This weekend we saw several strong varsity crews from the midwest and it created fast semi's and put us to the test," McLean said. "We are still working on our race plan and execution. In the finals we made some adjustments to the start sequence which really helped us get off the line faster."
McLean said the SIRA Championships also helped Murray State to be better prepared for future competitions.
"The body rates were well executed by the crews 32 for the JV and 34 for the varsity, setting up a solid foundation for next weekend's race against SMU, Tulsa, Drake, Creighton and OKCU in Omaha, Nebraska," McLean said. "By Philadelphia (Dad Vail Regatta on May 9-10), we are planning to be rating higher in the body and running longer through the recovery. At the NCAA Regional Qualifier in less than four weeks, we will have gained much needed race experience and further test our ability to break more school records."
Novice 4+ A Final
1.
2. Emory 8:05.60
3.
4. Stetson 8:20.13
5.
Cox: Colleen Rice
Str: Lindsay Hopkins
3: Carola Hechtel
2: Ellen Meranda
1: Layne Hardison
JV 8+ B Final
1.
Cox: Sara Eckler
Str: Katelyn Campbell
7: Christine Cervenka
6: Kelly Anderson
5: Kari Weisenfeld
4: Katelyn Halicks
3: Kelly Boyer
2: Jessie Stamper
1: Leigh Erin Waddell
Varsity 8+ B Final
2.
3.
Cox: Colleen Rice
Str: Anna Brown
7: Stefanie Kozuszek
6: Erin Sargent
5: Karen Delaney
4: Lyndsey Staples
3:
2: Connie Gorman
1: Hannah Neely
