MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Bulldogs continued their fall season with a strong showing at the Head of the Mississippi on Saturday. Competing against a talented field on the Mississippi River, Drake built on last week's performance in Des Moines and showed continued growth across all boats.

"It was a great day," head coach Charlie DiSilvestro said. "The weather was good — it got windy toward the end, but we finished all of our races before anything was canceled. We definitely took another step forward this weekend. We're still showing how young this team is, but we're getting faster every week. We even picked up some speed on a team that beat us at home, which is a great sign."

DiSilvestro praised the team's development, especially the freshman class, which continues to play a crucial role this season.

"Our freshman novice boats performed really well," DiSilvestro said. "We're asking a lot of them this year — many are filling varsity spots earlier than usual — and they're doing a great job with that. Our varsity rowers are setting a strong example of what it means to be a rower and a teammate, and I was really proud of how everyone supported and cheered for each other throughout the day."

The Bulldogs highlighted that team-first mentality both on and off the water. One standout moment came when freshman Kaci Brannan, who serves in the U.S. Air Force, earned a promotion during the trip. "Kaci received her third promotion while we were in Minneapolis," DiSilvestro said. "Her commander gave her a four-hour break from duty so she could race with us before heading back into uniform. We're so proud of her for both her service and her achievement."
 

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Meet Results

Women's Collegiate 4+ (WC4+)

• Drake A (Natalie Kelley, Camille Cole, Liliana Magnuson, Lucy Grizzle, Skyler Duke) — 4th place, 20:18.064

Women's Collegiate Freshman 8+ (WCF8+)

• Drake A (Katherine Hanses, Madeline Wenger, Maeve Glennon, Mary Gano, Kaci Brannan, Lauren High, Savanna Busch, Adisyn Finnin, Charis Waititu) — 4th place, 20:35.600
• Drake B (Isabella Silva, Hailey Castelar, Hannah Okel, Lauren Hafemeyer, Lillian Vogts, Alex Graf, Autumn Cross, Brielle Condon, Elizabeth Romero) — 6th place, 23:31.323

Women's Collegiate Freshman 4+ (WCF4+)

• Drake A (Katherine Hanses, Mary Gano, Savanna Busch, Lauren High, Adisyn Finnin) — 2nd place, 26:02.832

Women's Collegiate 8+ (WC8+)

• Drake A (Natalie Kelley, Skyler Duke, Camille Cole, Liliana Magnuson, Lucy Grizzle, Hailey Castelar, Charis Waititu, Maeve Glennon, Madeline Wenger) — 6th place, 19:03.315

 

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The Bulldogs' steady progress and strong novice performances mark an encouraging step forward early in the fall season. With each regatta, Drake continues to gain speed and experience — momentum they'll look to carry into the next stretch of competition. Drake will be back on the water on Nov. 1 at the Iowa Chase in Iowa City.