Willamette Rowers Finish Second in Petite Final of Women's Varsity Eights

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

VANCOUVER, WASH. -- At the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference (NCRC) Invitational on Saturday, April 7 at Vancouver Lake, the Willamette University women's varsity 8+ took second place in the petite final after taking second place in its preliminary heat. Willamette, which competes in NCAA Division III in women's rowing, trailed only Seattle Pacific University, from NCAA Division II, in the petite final.

Humboldt State University won the overall WV8+ title after taking first place in the grand final at 7:05.4. The University of Puget Sound placed second in 7:14.1 and Lewis & Clark College was third at 7:19.2.

In the petite final, Seattle Pacific's winning time was 7:23.2, while Willamette finished just 1.3 second later at 7:24.5. Humboldt State's "B" crew was third at 7:25.5.

During the third and final heat of the prelims, Willamette's WV8+ registered a time of 7:19.7. Pacific Lutheran University won the third heat in 7:16.9. PLU placed fourth in the grand final in 7:24.1.

Rowing for the Bearcats in the WV8+ were stroke Jessie Lovell, 7-seat Marguex Hunter, 6-seat Marilea Griggs, 5-seat Kate Pfeiffer, 4-seat Karina Hoogstede, 3-seat Anna Fredendall, 2-seat Kira Egelhoffer and bow Gwen Hyrciw. The coxswain was Blair Davis.

Willamette also placed second in its race during the women's varsity 4+. Lewis & Clark won the race 8:09.3 and Willamette crossed the finish line in 8:11.8. Pacific Lutheran was third at 8::17.5.

The crew for Willamette in the WV4+ was coxswain Nicole Piechocki, with Alli Claypool-Conrad at stroke, Nina Berger at 3-seat, Sophie Hearn at 2-seat and Meredith Miller at Bow.

In the men's varsity 4+, the Bearcats claimed third place in their race. Pacific Lutheran took first place with a time of 7:12.0, while Puget Sound was second at 7:18.9 and Willamette completed the race in 7:32.5. Also rowing against the Bearcats were the University of Oregon in fourth at 7:42.9 and Portland State University in fifth at 8:09.4.

WU's entry in the MV4+ was a led by coxswain Michaelin Richards. The crew included stroke Till Gwinn, 3-seat Forrest Betton, 2-seat Dillon Pack and bow Kaile Burkey.

The Bearcats took fourth place during races in the men's second varsity 4+ and the men's novice 4+. Lewis & Clark won the M2V8+, while an exhibition crew from L&C crossed the finish line first in the MN4+ with the Humboldt State lightweight crew in second place.

Willamette will row at the Covered Bridge Regatta on Dexter Lake near Eugene, Ore., on Saturday, April 14. The NCRC Championship Regatta will follow on Saturday, April 21, also at Dexter Lake.