Nova Southeastern Wins Varsity 4 Event at NCAA Championships

Summaries Courtesy of NSU Sports Information

Nova Southeastern won the Varsity 4 title at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championship, which concluded Sunday in Cherry Hill, N.J.  The Shark Varsity 8 finished second in the Petite Final, and the team placed third in the oveall team standings.  For a daily recap of championship action, read below.

FRIDAY, MAY 29:
Nova Southeastern University rowing’s Varsity 4 boat made a final push in the last few hundred meters to win its heat as the Sharks’ Varsity 8 and Varsity 4 boats got competition underway at the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships on the Cooper River.
 
“Overall, the racing the top-notch,” said head coach John Gartin.  “With the NCAAs, you got to be ready to race.  It is an exciting thing and I’m proud of the girls competing with the best in the nation.  This is a unique championship being that Division I, II and III teams are all competing at the same site and same days.  The chance to see it all and the atmosphere of the regatta is electrifying.”
 
The Varsity 4 boat of coxswain Heather Clayton, Lauren McElhenny, Claire Kurlychek, Ashley Lofria, and Jessica Sutter crossed the finish line in a race-winning time of 8:14.45 in order to win the heat and advance to Sunday’s Grand Finals.  Rounding out the heat was Philadelphia in second (8:17.39), Western Washington in third (8:22.03) and Mercyhurst in fourth (8:28.29).  Philadelphia, Western Washington and Mercyhurst will all race in Saturday’s Repechage at 10:30 a.m., with the top two boats moving on to the Grand Final.
 
“It was a fabulous first day for our Varsity 4,” said Gartin.  “It is the first time in which we’ve had a Four boat go directly to the finals, so we are excited about that.  It was clear that with the other boats that any two of the three can win tomorrow and go to the final.  I’ll be curious to see who will come out of the Repechage.  We have a big target on our back for the finals, but it will be a great event on Sunday.”
 
Earlier on Friday, NSU’s Varsity 8 boat finished third in its heat.  The boat of coxswain Marissa Stickles, Rachel Garbaj, Amber Bishko, Megankate McDonald, Cindy Fong, Samantha Moriarty, Kayla Schock, Elizabeth Hurley, and Emma Jordan finished in a time of 7:37.35.  Western Washington won the heat with a time of 7:01.72, while Dowling was second in the heat with a time of 7:27.48.  By winning the heat, Western Washington automatically qualified for the Grand Finals.  Meanwhile, NSU and Dowling will be in Saturday’s Repechage.
 
“It was not quite the race that we had hoped for,” said Gartin.  “Afterwards, as a group, we discussed several things that we can do to be more effective and the feeling is that we can make it to the Grand Final.  It will be a big boost reach the Grand Final and mix it up with the other three boats.”
 
In the other Varsity 8 heat, Mercyhurst finished in a race-winning time of 7:01.16 to advance to the Grand Final.  Seattle Pacific was second with a time of 7:02.35 and Philadelphia was third with a time of 7:13.07.  Both Seattle Pacific and Philadelphia will join NSU and Dowling in the Eights Repechage.

SATURDAY, MAY 30:
Nova Southeastern University rowing’s Varsity 8 boat finished fourth in the Eights Repechage at the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships on Saturday morning.  The Sharks will move on to the Petite Final on Sunday and will square off against Dowling at 9:15 a.m.
 
The boat of coxswain Marissa Stickles, Rachel Garbaj, Amber Bishko, Megankate McDonald, Cindy Fong, Samantha Moriarty, Kayla Schock, Elizabeth Hurley, and Emma Jordan crossed the finish line in a time of 7:06.03.
 
Philadelphia won the race with a time of 6:49.16, while Seattle Pacific was second with a time of 6:50.40.  Both Philadelphia and Seattle Pacific advance to the Grand Final and will also race Western Washington and Mercyhurst.
 
Dowling took third in the Eights Repechage with a time of 6:58.64.
 
In the Fours Repechage, Western Washington was first and Mercyhurst placed second in order to advance to Sunday’s Grand Final and face NSU.  The Fours Grand Final is scheduled for 9 a.m.
 
Western Washington won the Fours Repechage with a time of 7:45.45, while Mercyhurst finished in a time of 7:49.03.  Philadelphia was third with a time of 8:00.10.

Live video and live results for Sunday's races are available.

SUNDAY, MAY 31:
Nova Southeastern University rowing’s Varsity 4 got out to a quick start and never relinquished the lead as the Sharks won the Varsity 4 title at the 2009 NCAA Division II Championships on Sunday morning.  It is the first time the Sharks have won an event at the NCAA Division II Championships.
 
“It was a great day,” said head coach John Gartin.  “The Varsity 8 had a solid race and one of their best of the season.  The Varsity 4 finally broke through that glass ceiling.  In the past, they had been looking up towards (five-time champion) Western Washington.  This year, to finally break through and walk away with some hardware, is a big step forward.”
 
The boat of coxswain Heather Clayton, Lauren McElhenny, Claire Kurlychek, Ashley Lofria, and Jessica Sutter crossed the finish line in a race-winning time of 7:53.04.  Western Washington edged out Mercyhurst for second place, finishing in a time of 7:57.34.  Mercyhurst complete the course in a time of 7:57.70.
 
Clayton, McElhenny, Kurlychek, Lofria and Sutter took charge from early on in the race, having almost a full boat’s length on Western Washington and Mercyhurst through the first 500 meters.  The boat held a two-second lead at the 1,000-meter mark, but opened it up in the final half of the race.
 
“There were so many firsts this year,” said Gartin.  “They climbed so many mountains and this was the biggest one for them to climb.  It is so exciting.  It’s a trophy that they proudly get to have.”
 
In the Eights Petite Final, Dowling won the race with a time of 7:11.38.  NSU’s boat of coxswain Marissa Stickles, Rachel Garbaj, Amber Bishko, Megankate McDonald, Cindy Fong, Samantha Moriarty, Kayla Schock, Elizabeth Hurley, and Emma Jordan followed with a time of 7:16.56.
 
“The Varsity 8 boat clicked today,” said Gartin.  “I’m proud of them.  All of them in the boat wished we placed better, but they had a good race.”
 
In the Eights Grand Final, Western Washington won the race by five seconds, finishing in a time of 6:52.60.  Mercyhurst was second with a time of 6:57.22, while Seattle Pacific took third with a time of 7:00.22.  Philadelphia rounded out the field with a time of 7:05.70.
 
In the team standings, Western Washington claimed its fifth-straight team title, garnering 18 points.  Mercyhurst was second with 13 points.  NSU took third with 11 points, while Philadelphia rounded out the team standings in fourth with eight points.
 
“We worked hard this season,” said Gartin.  “To see both boats at the NCAA Division II National Championships is a testament to the whole team.  All worked hard and I couldn’t be prouder of the squad.”