PENNSAUKEN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Led by a bronze medal by its varsity 8 boat, the Drake University rowing team finished in fifth place at the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women's Rowing Championship Sunday with 33 overall points. The annual MAAC championship was held on a 2,000-meter course on the Cooper River in the Cooper River Park in Pennsauken, N.J.
For the fifth-straight year, Jacksonville won the event, scoring 53 overall points Sunday to earn the conference's automatic berth to the 2018 NCAA Championship in Sarasota, Florida. In second place was Marist with 47 points while Canisius took third with 37 points followed closely by Fairfield with 36 points. Robert Morris took sixth with 22 points. Tying for seventh place at 15 points was Sacred Heart and Stetson while Manhattan College was ninth with 12 points.
The Bulldogs competed against their MAAC opponents in a format that included three races (Varsity 8+, 2
nd Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+) with heats and finals for each with the top three boats in each initial heat advancing to the grand final while the other boats move to petite grand finals.
"Going in I wasn't sure how today would go just because of the lack of water time we've had back home," said head coach
Charlie DiSilvestro. "I knew we are strong and would pull together, but when you can't row outside its hard and with all our missed water time it threw a wrench in things. But today they really raced hard and getting all three of our boats to the grand finals was great. Then for our first 8 to come from behind to get a medal, it really finished the day on a high note. I am so happy for the seniors in that boat. It was a really difficult year but they didn't let it get to them and I am so proud of how everyone pulled together, competed and raced hard."
All three of Drake's boats advanced out of the morning heats to the afternoon grand finals. The Bulldogs' varsity 8 boat clocked the third-fastest time in the morning heats at 07:38.566 behind Jacksonville (07:31.764) and Marist (07:31.952).
In the afternoon grand finals, Drake's varsity 8 boat claimed the bronze medal with a time of 7:37.058 as it finished behind Jacksonville (7:16.666) and Marist (07:18.383). The Bulldogs' varsity 4 (09:37.387) and 2
nd varsity 8 (08:29.152) boats placed sixth in each of their respective afternoon races.
Following the championship, Drake seniors
Haley Abrams and
Sarah Frantik were selected to the All-MAAC First and Second Teams, respectively. The Bulldogs also were second in the MAAC with 17 members selected to the 2018 All-MAAC Women's Rowing All-Academic Team.
Drake Lineups for MAAC Championship
V8 - Rambhia (cox), Rebischke, Frantik, Gowans, Konopacki, Abrams, Thacker, Rundquist, McNeely
2V8 - Killian (cox), Rimes, Bascio, Shipley, Dahlstrom, Hunter, Peterson, Janes, Smith
V4 - Prien (cox), Nikolic, Coffman, Finnell, Masterson
2018 Drake All-MAAC Women's Rowing All-Academic Team Members
Audrey Baumeister, Maddie Coffman,
Melanie Dahlstrom,
Lindsay Finnell,
Sarah Frantik,
Shelley Hunter,
Mikaela Janes,
Madeline Killian,
Sarah Konopacki,
Ingrid McNeely,
Madison Peterson,
Liz Rambhia,
Jessica Rebischke,
Jocelyn Rimes,
Julie Shipley,
Ryli Smith,
Erica Thacker
