BETHEL, Ohio – The Drake University rowing team competed at the 2016 Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Association Championship (MACRA) Sunday at Lake Harsha, located 30 minutes east of Cincinnati, Ohio, in East Fork Lake State Park.
 
Drake was led by its second varsity 8+ boat that claimed a silver medal in the grand final with a time of 7:07.6, narrowly behind Eastern Michigan at 07.05.0. The Bulldogs defeated Grand Valley and Case Western.
 
"The 2V 8 had a really good race were pushed for the first time all season," said Drake head coach Charlie DiSilvestro. "They responded well, but Eastern was just a little bit better than us."
 
Drake's varsity 8+ boat finished third in its first heat with a time of 07:18.0 and then placed fifth in its grand final with a time of 07:08.5.
 
"The first 8 got better as the day went on," DiSilvestro said. "They did what they needed to advance to the final and I'm really proud of how they rowed in the final."
 
The Bulldogs' varsity 4+ won their first heat with a time of 8:02.3 over Cincinnati (B), Grand Valley, Northwestern, Lawrence and Xavier to advance to the grand final. In the grand final, the V4 + boat finished fifth with a time of 8:19.0. Drake also had a second varsity 4 that competed as an exhibition boat and won its heat with a time of 8:32.3 and then placed sixth in the grand final with a time of 8:44.5
 
"The fours had good races as well, said DiSilvestro. "Overall I'm happy with the results, but not satisfied. We need to get faster as a team and the next two weeks of training we will push to get faster before we head out for conference."
 
Drake next competes at the 2016 MAAC Championship held May 15 in Princeton, NJ with the winner of the annual conference championship securing a bid to the NCAA Championship held May 27-27 in Gold River, Calif.
 
Drake Lineups
V4+ (A) – Sadie Robb (cox) (Norwood, Iowa), Elaine Fickau (Mukwonago, Wis.), Erica Thacker (Johnston, Iowa), Madeline Killian (Mendota Heights, Minn.), Elise Nikolic (Champlin, Minn.)
2V8+ - Miranda Peterson(Duluth, Minn.), Madison Peterson (River Forrest, Ill.), Tristina Meister (Mitchell, Neb.), Jessica Rebischke (Lakeville, Minn.), Liz Long (Dayton, Ohio), Julie Shipley (St. Louis, Mo.), Shelley Hunter (Ontario, Calif.), Taylor Schaben (Portsmouth, Iowa), Alex Lueck (West Allis, Wis.)
V8+ - Bri Varela (cox) (Olathe, Kan.), Sarah Frantik (Oswego, Ill.), Kayla Caldwell, Gabrielle Brodek (Hampden, Maine), Sarah Larson (Watertown, S.D.), Kerstin Donat (Vilsbiburg, Germany), Kelsey Leahy (Madison, Wis.), Emily Householter (Wheaton, Ill.), Haley Abrams (Byron, Minn.)