Bearcats Finish 3rd in Petite Final of Women's Varsity 8+ at WIRA Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- Willamette University took third place in the Petite Final of the women's varsity 8+ for NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and club teams on Sunday, May 1 at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championship Regatta on Lake Natoma. Earlier in the day, the Bearcats finished third in their preliminary heat to reach the Petite Final.

Rowing for Willamette in the WV8+ were Carrie Moore (So., Walla Walla, WA/South Eugene HS) at stroke, Fish in 7-seat, and Hannah Puckett (Jr., Davis, CA/Davis HS) in 6-seat, with Elizabeth Crowther (Fr., Boise, ID/Boise High School) in 5-seat, Miranda Martin (So., St. Louis, MO/Ladue Horton Watkins HS) at 4-seat, Rachael Christman (Fr., Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) at 3-seat, Julia Di Simone (So., Livermore, CA/Livermore Valley Charter Prep) in 2-seat and Anna Burdine (Fr., Seattle, WA/Mount Rainier HS) at bow. They were led by coxswain Kyra Farr (Fr., Bellevue, WA/Newport HS).

During the second of three preliminary heats in the WV8+ for D2/D3/Clubs, the Bearcats placed third to grab their spot in the Petite Final. The University of California, Santa Barbara club team earned first place in 6:51.0. University of California, San Diego finished second in 6:59.4. Willamette followed in 7:14.0, with Mills in fourth place at 7:24.6.

In the Petite Final of the WV8+, Lewis & Clark College took first place in 7:09.4. University of Puget Sound placed second in 7:19.9 and Willamette was third at 7:25.6. The University of California lightweight crew finished fourth at 7:28.4, with Mills College (Calif.) in fifth at 7:36.3 and Sonoma State University (Calif.) in sixth at 7:52.1. Willamette placed ninth overall in the region out of 14 varsity eights competing at WIRA.

The Bearcats also competed in the Petite Final of the women's junior varsity 8+ for D2/D3/Clubs on Sunday. Willamette took fourth place out of five teams in the race.

UC Santa Barbara's "B" entry placed first and crossed the finish line in 7:20.8. Humboldt State University (Calif.) was second at 7:33.5 and the Puget Sound "B" entry was third at 7:41.8. Willamette took fourth placed in 7:43.3 and Mills was fifth in 8:08.4.

Willamette's WJV8+ crew as guided by  coxswain Laura Polkinghorn (Fr., Camino, CA/El Dorado HS). Rowers for the Bearcats were Natalie Branch (Fr., Cupertino, California/Homestead HS) at stroke, Allison Davies (Fr., Oceanside, CA/Mission Vista HS) as the 7-seat, Elspeth Charno (So./Fr., Port Angeles, WA/Port Angeles HS) at 6-seat, Clara Sims (Fr., Los Lunas, NM/School of Dreams Academy) in 5-seat, Brenda Mittelbuscher (Jr./So., Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS) in 4-seat, Catharine Creadick (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) at 3-seat, Carli Fawcett (Fr., Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Mission Viejo HS) in 2-seat, and Annie Jolliff (Fr., Chico, CA/Chico HS) at bow.