ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Drake University rowing team participated at the Head of the Rock Regatta on Sunday in Rockford, Ill. Drake was led by its pair of Molly Packer and Madison Peterson in the double boat and its novice 8+ boat that recorded a second and third place finish, respectively.
 
The Head of the Rock was the first race of the weekend for the Bulldogs after their first scheduled regatta, the Head of the Mississippi, set for Saturday in Minneapolis was cancelled due to dangerous currents on the Mississippi River.
 
"Today went very well after a difficult start to the weekend when one race gets cancelled," said head Charlie DiSilvestro. "It was a long day with getting up early after traveling all day, getting in late and the quick turnaround. To be able to compete with Wisconsin, which was ninth in the country last year, I am very proud of the team. Our pair and novice 8 boats were right there with their boats, our varsity 8 shows great depth with three boats and our varsity 4s competed hard. I am proud of how the team raced hard and stuck together with the schedule change."
 
In Rockford, boats competed on a 2.75-mile course on the Rock River. Drake will conclude the fall campaign with its annual home race against rival Creighton on Nov. 4.
 
"It will be nice to have a month to train for Creighton," DiSilvestro said. "Have a nice block to train and work on some things we haven't been able to do last few weeks. To be able to work with some different lineups so really looking forward to this time."
 
Women's 2x (2^nd, 22:41.903)
Madison Peterson, Molly Packer
Women's 2x (4^th, 19:37:74)
Haley Abrams, Sarah Frantik
Novice 4+ (6^th, 21:40.73)
Norah Riester (coxsawain), Lexi Perkins, Sadie Gowens, Kasey Springsteen, Alexis Cosatino
Varsity 4+ A (8^th, 18:34.384)
Liz Rambhia (coxswain), Sarah Frantik, Haley Abrams, Sarah Konopacki, Jessica Rebischke
Varsity 4+ B (11^th, 19:44.880)
Paige Prien (coxswain), Shelley Hunter, Molly Packer, Madison Peterson, Jocelyn Rimes
Varsity 4+ C (16^th, 21:04.558)
Madeline Killian (coxswain), Lindsay Finnell, Audrey Baumeister, Maddie Coffman, Melanie Dahlstrom
Varsity 8+ A (5^th, 17:55.453)
Liz Rambhia (coxswain), Jessica Rebischke, Sarah Frantik, Haley Abrams, Sarah Konopacki, Madison Peterson, Molly Packer, Shelley Hunter, Angelica Hyles
Varsity+ 8 B (12^th, 19:35.016)
Madeline Killian (coxswain), Jocelyn Rimes, Olivia Masterson, Lindsay Finnell, Lauren Launer, Emma Stock, Audrey Baumeister, Maddie Coffman, Melanie Dahlstrom
Varsity+ 8C (15^th, 20:42.309)
Norah Riester (coxswain), Lexi Perkins, Lauren Bascio, Ingrid McNeely, Elyse Simons, Abigail Rundquist, Sadie Gowans, Kasey Springsteen, Elise Nikolic
Varsity 4+ D (17^th, 21:06.433)
Maddie Shipley (coxswain), Ingrid McNeely, Lauren Bascio, Abby Rundquist, Elise Nikolic
Novice 8+ (3^rd, 19:20.780)
Norah Riester (coxsawain), Olivia Masterson, Sadie Gowens, Angelica Hyles, Lexi Perkins, Alexis Cosatino, Elyse Simons, Emma Stock, Lauren Launer