University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Place Second Overall; Improve Three Spots from Last Year
4/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
“In the past I had said that we were an emerging program,” head coach Wendy Davis said. “Now we are deep enough to compete at a high level. Give credit to our student-athletes, they are so motivated and dedicated to the program. We didn’t win the First and Second Varsity Eights, but it goes to show that as a program, our athletes did everything they could to place second. It’s also so sweet to pull this off on our home course and after we broke ground for our boathouse. It’s couldn’t come at a better time for us.”
With rain and 13-15 mile per hour winds, the championship events were reversed, starting with the First Varsity Eight heats. In their 7 a.m. heat, Minnesota nearly defeated No. 5 Ohio State, finishing the race just three-tenths of a second behind the Buckeyes. The Gophers advanced to the Grand Final for the first time since 2002. The Golden Gophers were paired with the Buckeyes and Michigan and Michigan State in the Grand Final. In a tight race, the Gophers finished third in the finals in a time of 6:48.8 and two seconds behind OSU. In the Gopher boat was coxswain Megan Flannery, Wick, Tomten, Jillian Casey, Barnes, Laura Jatautaite, Vilma Stragyte, Erika Bartkute and Biese at bow.
Minnesota continued the championships with a Grand Final appearance in the Second Varsity Eight. The Gophers finished second in their heat with a time of 7: 13.1. The Gophers bettered their heat time in 7:05.5 and finished fourth overall. OSU won the event in a time of 6:55.0. In Minnesota’s Second Varsity Eight was coxswain Leah Gross, Megan Stuhlfaut at stroke, Rachel Hotkowski, Mary Ann Weinzierl, Catherine Casey, Sally Olson, Maggie Armstrong, Heidi Bechtel and Tina Cho.
The Gophers earned their first-ever Varsity Grand Final wins in the First and Second Varsity Four events. In the First Varsity Four, the Gophers won their heat in a time of 8:05.7. In the Grand Final, the Gophers and Michigan State were seeded in the No. 2 and 3 lanes. The Gophers quickly jumped out to a lead and held it for the remainder of the race. The Gopher team of coxswain Kaja Tally, Tracey Tallman, Katie Engel, Christine O’Donnell and Alissa Almquist finished the race with a time of 7:39.5, while Michigan State finished second in 7:40.6.
“Our First Varsity Four is a perfect symbol of our program,” Davis said. We have two recruits and two walkons who work really well together. It was great to see both of our fours do so well today.”
The Gophers continued their winning ways, this time in the Second Varsity Four. The Gophers finished second in their heat with a time of 8:10.6 and a trip to the Grand Finals. Minnesota, however, turned on their power and speed and bettered their time in the finals race. Minnesota’s boat of Stephanie Holzwart, Liz Ponder, Emily Baxter, Lauren Van Proosdy and Angela Reesman chipped in a Big Ten champion time of 8:01.9 and over two seconds ahead of second-place OSU in 8:04.6.
The Gophers’ Novice Eights faired well today, placing first and third in their events. The Gophers’ First Novice Eight placed third in the Grand Final. Minnesota placed second in its heat with a time of 7:18.6 and good enough for the Grand Finals. The Gophers repeated their performance in the finals and placed third overall. Wisconsin won the race in a time of 7:06.5. In the Minnesota boat was Erica Niemiec, Lisa Pugh, Jessica Veit, Ashlee Vilmo, Erin Desmond, Katie Johnson, Allison Fisher, Stephanie Bakkum and Anna Boyer.
Minnesota’s third and last Grand Final win came in the Second Novice Eight. Minnesota jumped out early during its heat and won by over three seconds in 7: 27.0. Minnesota cruised to the Big Ten champion win as it knocked six seconds off its time in the finals with a time of 7:21.0. The Gophers defeated Wisconsin by four seconds. In the winning boat was coxswain Sarah Woessner, Julia Beni, Susan Closmore, Lindsey Kamp, Erika Wederquist, Alexandra Lacey, Katie Rowbottom, Samantha Thomas and Nicole Wahl.
“We have been saying all year that we are a fast team and today we proved that,” Davis said. “It is great momentum leading into the sprints in two weeks.”
The Gophers travel to the South/Central Regional Sprints, May 13-14 in Knoxville, Tenn.
2006 Big Ten Women’s Rowing All-Conference Teams
All-Big Ten First-Team
Laura Lazaridis, Indiana
Lydia McGee, Iowa
Stesha Carle, Michigan
Janine Hanson, Michigan
Christen Brown, Michigan State
Jennifer Barnes, Minnesota
Ninett Kossowsky, Ohio State
Annabelle Fago, Ohio State
Beth Tompkins, Ohio State
Emily Simonds, Wisconsin
All-Big Ten Second Team
Betsy Hibbard, Indiana
Kristin Kelly, Iowa
Cristin McCarty, Michigan
Ellen Tomek, Michigan
Beth Smith, Michigan State
Sarah Brady, Michigan State
Cheryl Wick, Minnesota
Katie Biese, Minnesota
Berit Tomten, Minnesota
Jessica Shepherd, Ohio State
Gabriele Albertaviciute, Ohio State
Kirby Gallie, Wisconsin
Sportsmanship Honorees
Stacey Young, Indiana
Alyssa Langerud, Iowa
Janine Hanson, Michigan
Christie Daiss, Michigan State
Katie Biese, Minnesota
Katie Machingo, Ohio State
Meghan Stevens, Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
