Des Moines, Iowa - The Drake rowing team kicked off their 2023 fall campaign with an impressive performance in The Head of the Des Moines races.
 
"We are very happy," Head Coach Charlie DiSilvestro said. "You never know how its going to go in the first race. We didn't have much rest because we've been working really hard. But a couple of school records were broken and a couple others were close to breaking a school record. We're really encouraged by this speed early in the year."
 
Lily Evan-Cook and Sara Wilson impressed for Drake, rowing to a 19:57.664 time and finishing in first place. Caitlin Figge and Kiernan Blanchard were not far behind, finishing in second place with a 19:58.798 time. Rounding out the top three, Maggie Poltrock and Camille Cole finished right behind their aforementioned teammates, coming in third place.

"We Broke the pair record," Coach DiSilvestro said. "We had seven pairs race and the first two set school records. They broke a record that was set in 2013, which was a 20:06 time. That record was set in a practice at The Head of the Des Moines. The fastest we had gone in a pair in competition in The Head of the Des Moines was in 2002, which was a 20:39 mark. Our top four came close to breaking another record. The four went 19.08, the school record is 19.04."
 
The Bulldog four+ of Smith, Blanchard, Figge, Evan-Cook and Wilson impressed in their race, finishing in first place with a 19:08.466 time. Drake's solo eight+ finished with a 20:49.381 in its race.

"We're very proud of them," DiSilvestro said. "It was a low key race, an exhibition, get a chance to get a race under our belt and check our speed early. They came back in really good shape and we want to keep this good attitude, team dynamic and culture going."
 
Duos
Evan-Cook, Wilson: 19:57.664
Figge, Blanchard: 19:58.798
Poltrock, Cole: 21:39.694
Selah Bourgeois, Cayden Anderson: 21:42.618
Allyson Afrank, Jessica Seelinger: 22:18.268
Lillian Bitker, Jazmynn Good: 22:51.780
Emily Peck, Mary Jonas: 23:50.573

Eight+ - 20:49.381
Camille Gretter
Peck
Seelinger
Savannah Smith
Haley Frieden
Bitker
Jenna Smyth
Alana Rater
Grace Joblinske

Four+
Smith, Blanchard, Figge, Evan-Cook and Wilson: 19:08.466
Sarah Chastain, Poltrock, Cole, Bourgeois and Anderson: 20:34.438
Ella Bloom, Bella Wolfe, Jonas, Claire Mulder and Claire Martin: 21:45.768