FARMER CITY, Ill. – The Drake University rowing team competed at the seventh annual Illinois Collegiate Rowing Invitational hosted by the University of Illinois rowing clubs Saturday. The Bulldogs made their second-ever trip to the regatta, which was contested on a 2,000-meter course on Clinton Lake.
 
Drake raced against several Illinois clubs, including the host club along with DePaul and University of Chicago as well as clubs from Grand Valley State, Marquette and St. Thomas.
 
"I'm so proud of how well the team did today," said head coach Charlie DiSilvestro. "This trip didn't start off well with us not being able to row Friday for practice because of high winds. But today they came together again, supported each other and competed really well against some tough competition."
 
Drake was led by its varsity 8 A boat which claimed first in the grand final ahead of Grand Valley State. Two other Bulldog boats, the novice 8 and the 2^nd varsity 4, earned second place finishes. Drake's 2^nd varsity 8 B boat placed third behind Grand Valley State and their teammates in the team's A boat. The Bulldogs' varsity 4 boat took fourth in their race, finishing just .09 seconds behind Grand Valley State who finished in third place.
 
"Our varsity 8 boats did a great job today and I'm really pleased with our first varsity 8 for their win," DiSilvestro said. "The 2^nd varsity 8 also did great work finishing just behind a tough Grand Valley squad. The novice 8 boat was outstanding. We haven't been able to field a novice 8 boat the past three seasons and what they went out today and did was great. This season has been really tough with the high water back home in Des Moines and not being able to row, but the team has done so well handling what is out of our control and putting in great indoor training. We're excited to have a break for Easter and then get back on the water at MACRA in a few weeks."
 
Drake travels to Grand Rapids, Mich. for its final regular season regatta, MACRA, on April 28.
 

Drake Lineup/Results
V8 A (1^st) (7:14.6)
C Rambhia
8 Bigus
7 McNeely
6 Peterson
5 Konopacki
4 Dahlstrom
3 Thacker
2 Smith
1 Froeschner
 
V8 B (3^rd) (7:34.0)
C Stock
8 Roehrs
7 Rimes
6 Hargreeves
5 Lajoie
4 Hunt
3 Hovland
2 O'Donnell
1 Faria
 
N8 (2nd) (7:17.9)
C Stock
8 Roehrs
7 Bigus
6 Hargreaves
5 Froeschner
4 Smith
3 Lajoie
2 Hunt
1 Hovland