Bearcats Compete in Women's Collegiate Varsity 4+ at Portland Fall Classic

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

PORTLAND, ORE. -- Willamette University competed in the women's collegiate varsity 4+ race at the Portland Fall Classic on Sunday, Oct. 27. The Bearcats placed ninth in a group of NCAA Division I and NCAA Division III teams, along with collegiate club teams.

The regatta was held on the Willamette River in downtown Portland and was hosted by the Station L Rowing Club and the Rose City Rowing Club.

Rowing for Willamette were Katy Wallner (Jr., Petaluma, CA/Petaluma HS) at stroke, Cassie Hansen (So., Lake Oswego, OR/Lake Oswego HS) at 3-seat, Hannah Puckett (Fr., Davis, CA) at 2-seat and Sarah Fish (So., Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy) at bow. The coxswain for the Bearcats was Rachel Robinson (Jr., Bellevue, WA/Bellevue HS).

Willamette achieved a time of 23:21.26 over the 5,000-meter course.

"The women rowed a solid race," Assistant Coach Ryan Kinnett said. "The results are very impressive to me considering how little water time they had together. That gives me great hope that we will be very competitive this spring."

Washington State University won the WCV4+ with a time of 19:54.68. Oregon State University was second at 20:43.26 and the University of Portland was third in 20;48.82.

Two Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference (NCRC) rivals of the Bearcats competed in the race. Lewis & Clark's "B" shell finished in fourth place at 22:29.54, the University of Puget Sound was fifth in 22:31.20, and the L&C "A" shell was seventh in 23:08.69.