WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The Drake University rowing team earned a third place finish at the 2016 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Sunday morning held on Lake Mercer. It is the highest finish for the Bulldogs at the conference championship event since the 2012 season.
 
Jacksonville University won its third-consecutive MAAC women's rowing championship with 56 points while Marist College took second with 53 points. Drake scored 44 just in front of Canisius College (43) followed by Fairfield University (40), Robert Morris University (31), Iona College (23), Stetson University (20), Sacred Heart University (14) and Manhattan College (6).
 
"Our goal all year was to get to grand final (top 6) of each of the races and with the new format for the day because of the mid-morning weather forecast it came together well with our training and each boat's chemistry," said head coach Charlie DiSilvestro. "All of our boats were seeded in top seven so they were automatically placed in the grand final. I knew we would have a good day when the varsity 8 came out and was in the middle of things in their race and then each of the next two boats came out and did great."
 
Drake was led by its second varsity 8+ boat that claimed a third place finish in its race with a time of 7:14.954. The Bulldogs were edged by Jacksonville and Marist, respectively in the race.
 
The Bulldogs' other two boats, the varsity 4+ and varsity 8+, each finished fourth in their respective races. The varsity 4+ boat had a nail bitter race with a time of 8:05.728 as it narrowly finished behind Jacksonville (8:04.797) and Marist (8:04.347), who went third and second, respectively, behind winner, Fairfield with a time of 7:55.880. The varsity 8+ boat clocked a time of 7:04.520 behind Jacksonville, Canisus and Marist.
 
"We are ecstatic with how we did today," DiSilvestro said. "Our seniors built the foundation of today so we are so glad to send them off with the third place finish. Our future is looking bright with the group coming back from today and with the 12 recruits we have coming in for next year."
 
2016 MAAC Championship - Drake Results
4^th (8:05.728) - V4+ – Sadie Robb (cox) (Norwood, Iowa), Elaine Fickau (Mukwonago, Wis.), Erica Thacker (Johnston, Iowa), Madeline Killian (Mendota Heights, Minn.), Elise Nikolic (Champlin, Minn.)
 
3^rd (7:14.954) - 2V8+ - Miranda Peterson (cox) (Duluth, Minn.), Madison Peterson (River Forrest, Ill.), Tristina Meister (Mitchell, Neb.), Alex Lueck (West Allis, Wis.), Jessica Rebischke (Lakeville, Minn.), Liz Long (Dayton, Ohio), Julie Shipley (St. Louis, Mo.), Shelley Hunter (Ontario, Calif.), Taylor Schaben (Portsmouth, Iowa)
 
4^th (7:04.520) - V8+ - Bri Varela (cox) (Olathe, Kan.), Sarah Frantik (Oswego, Ill.), Kayla Caldwell (St. Charles, Ill.), 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.)