University of Minnesota Athletics
Rowing Finishes Strong at the Head of the Rock
10/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Although the Gophers didn't win the Open 8+ event, Minnesota had all three of their boats finish higher then any other team. Minnesota's First Varsity Eight finished second over 42 registered entries. Wisconsin held a time of 15:43.29to win the event, while the Minnesota team of Kristi Branigan, Cheryl Wick, Jillian Casey, Vilma Stragyte, Erika Bartkute, Andrea Pierce, Beth Ratterman, Katie Biese, and Lida Storch finished with a time of15:56.97.
Minnesota's B boat of Leah Gross, Jenna Buskohl, Berit Tomten, Sam Wangsgard, Katie Engel, Megan Stuhlfaut, Laura Jatautaite, Heidi Bechtel and Rachel Hotkowski chipped in a time of 16:06.7 to finish fifth overall. Minnesota C finished in a time of 16:18.82, good enough for seventh overall. The Minnesota C boat contained coxswain Megan Flannery, Christine O'Donnell, Tracey Tallman, Tina Cho, Sally Olson, Liz Ponder, Maggie Armstrong, Synnove Flesland, and Shauna Frank.
Minnesota also finished strong in the Open 4+, finishing three shells in the top five spots. Minnesota B led the Maroon and Gold, finishing with a time of 17:38.04. Wisconsin won the race in a time of 17:34.98. Minnesota's boat contained coxswain Carla Ballecer, Ratterman, Pierce, Storchand Biese. Minnesota's A boat finished third with a time of 17:45.11. Branigan was the coxswain, followed by Wick, Casey, Stragyte and Bartkute. The Minnesota C boat of Kaja Tally, Stuhlfaut, Tometen, Bechtel and Hotkowski, finished in a time of 17:50.61 for fifth place.
The Gophers also added a second-place finish in the Novice Women's 8+ competition. The Minnesota A boat of coxswain Amelia Moon, Lauren VanProosdy, Mary Weinzierl, Catherine Casey, Ashley Kollberg, Catilin Smith, Paige Hanson, Carina Enbody and Jessica Wallander finished in a time of 17:18.06. Wisconsin won the event in a time of 17:04.59. Minnesota's B boat of Blair Tomten, Teresa DeTrempe, Katherine Groth, Jennifer Falor, Kimberly Resheske, Amanda Howlett, Catherine Malovrh, Meghan Calhoun and Erika Stillman, finished seventh overall with a time of 18:18.89.
The Gophers also competed in the Novice Women's 8+, winning the event in a time of 19:30.91. Minnesota's shell contained Stephanie Holzwart, Katie Simpson, Kelsey Underdahl, Claire Dalton and Alissa Almquist.
