ROWING ADVANCES ALL SIX BOATS TO SUNDAY’S WIRA GRAND FINALS

4/28/2007

GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Sacramento State women’s varsity eight, second varsity eight, novice eight, varsity four, novice four and pair each finished among the top two boats in their respective heats Saturday in the first day of the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships at Lake Natoma.

The Hornets’ varsity eight, second varsity eight, novice eight and novice four each placed second in their heats, while the novice four and pair placed first. All six boats will compete in tomorrow’s grand final, marking the first time in school history that each will compete in a WIRA grand final. The WIRA Championships is one of the biggest regattas of the season for Sacramento State and it serves as the team’s conference championship.

Last season, Sacramento State won its  fourth WIRA team tile (1995, 2000, 2001, 2006) since the program gained intercollegiate status in 1995. The Hornets’ varsity eight placed first in their grand final while the novice eight placed third, and the second varsity eight placed fifth in their grand finals.

Today, the Hornets’ varsity eight (the team’s top boat) placed second in its six-boat heat with a time of 6:54.1, trailing UC Davis’ first-place time of 6:47.5. Sacramento State will take on UC Davis, Gonzaga, Western Washington, San Diego State and Loyola Marymount in tomorrow’s grand final which begins at 11:50 a.m.

The team’s second varsity eight also finished second in its seven-boat heat with a time of 7:02.2. UC Davis finished first in the heat with a time of 6:52.4 Sacramento State will take on UC Davis, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Western Washington and Puget Sound in tomorrow’s grand final at 10:30 a.m.

In Sacramento State’s novice eight heat, San Diego State finished with a first-place time of 7:19.8, followed by the Hornets (7:20.5) and Saint Mary’s (7:31.2) to round out the top three in a six-boat field. The Hornets’ novice eight will face UC Davis, Gonzaga, San Diego State, Humboldt State and UC San Diego in tomorrow’s grand final at 10 a.m.

The novice four grand final will take place at 8:20 a.m., the pair is scheduled for 8:40 a.m., and the varsity four grand final is at 9:40 a.m.

Sunday’s full slate of racing, which includes 24 races (13 on the women’s side, 11 on the men’s side), is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. with the women’s novice lightweight four grand final and concludes at 11:50 a.m. with the women’s varsity eight grand final. Award ceremonies will begin at 12:45 p.m.

SACRAMENTO STATE’S LINEUPS

VARSITY EIGHT: Ashley Platner at coxswain, Aimee Chenard at stroke, Meghyn Cox at seven, Janine LaCrosse at six, Krista Hill at five, Holly Hopkins at four, Constance Deslauriers at three, Chelsea Semrau at two and Ruthie Van Esso at bow.

SECOND VARSITY EIGHT: Kelly Major at coxswain, Anne Morrison at stroke, Kellie Cook at seven, Ashley Loucks at six, Michelle McMullen at five, Lenore Meehan at four, Megan Riggs at three, Kristin Carlson at two and Justine Fernandez at bow.

NOVICE EIGHT: Katie Bossenmaier at coxswain, Kayla Wright at stroke, Alyse Marlatt at seven, Michelle Stern at six, Jenna Tofanelli at five, Molly Davis at four, Victoria Jackson at three, Rayelynn Majoewsky at two and Kaitlin Schnaars at bow.

VARSITY FOUR: Erin DeGoede at coxswain, Dani Thole at stroke, Catherine Woerner at three, Kyle Johnston at two and Aleisha DeCindis at bow.

NOVICE FOUR: Teresa Seich at coxswain, Megan Emmons at stroke, Natalie Thomas at three, Lauren King at two and Vanessa Dotson at bow.

PAIR: Jenna Duale at stroke, Sherry Payne at bow.

SACRAMENTO STATE’S RESULTS FROM SATURDAY

NOVICE FOUR HEAT 3
1. Sacramento State  8:02.0
2. Humboldt State  8:18.1
3. UC San Diego  8:52.3
4. Puget Sound  9:04.4
5. Santa Clara  9:27.5

VARSITY EIGHT HEAT 2
1. UC Davis  6:47.5
2. Sacramento State  6:54.1
3. Loyola Marymount  6:58.4
4. Saint Mary’s  6:58.5
5. San Diego  7:09.2
6. UC Irvine  7:17.8

NOVICE EIGHT HEAT 3
1. San Diego State  7:19.8
2. Sacramento State  7:20.5
3. Saint Mary’s  7:31.2
4. UC Irvine  7:45.6
5. Chapman  7:53.2
6. Pacific  8:00.1

VARSITY FOUR HEAT 3
1. Orange Coast College  7:52.5
2. Sacramento State  7:58.7
3. Evergreen State  8:03.2
4. Pacific Lutheran  8:05.0
5. San Diego State  8:09.6
6. Lewis and Clark  8:46.0

SECOND VARSITY EIGHT HEAT 2
1. UC Davis  6:52.4
2. Sacramento State  7:02.2
3. Puget Sound  7:16.8
4. Santa Clara  7:24.9
5. Pacific Lutheran  7:37.4
6. UC San Diego  7:38.7
7. UC Santa Barbara  7:59.9

PAIR
1. Sacramento State  8:37.2
2. Saint Mary’s  8:54.7
3. Pacific Lutheran  8:58.0
4. UC San Diego  9:04.2