April 11, 2015

West Windsor, N.J. -- After hours of delay due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Wisconsin women's lightweight rowing team was able to hit the water in their spring opener, the annual Knecht Cup. 

Wisconsin's A boat in the lightweight eight event took second place out of seven boats with a final time of 6:44.87. The crew came up 1.58 seconds shy of the first place Boston University A boat that came in at 6:43.29. 

The boat holds a lot of power, as it boasts Gretchen Miron, Katie Rosoff and Julia Glueck, three of the four rowers who won the lightweight four national championship last season. They will move on to the grand final tomorrow along with BU's A and B boats, as well as Villanova and the Princeton and Radcliffe A boats. 

Wisconsin's C boat raced in the first heat along with the A boat, but came in at fifth place in 6:58.86. The B boat took fourth in the second heat after rowing 2000 meters in 6:52.80. Wisconsin's B and C lightweight eights will compete with Radcliffe's B boat, MIT, Georgetown and Princeton in the petite final tomorrow. 

The same athletes that rowed in the lightweight eight A boat finished the night by racing in the varsity eight event. A third-place finish in the heat with an official 6:53.38 will send them to the semifinal tomorrow morning. 

The regatta picks up tomorrow morning at 9:01 a.m. beginning with the novice eight.

Lightweight Eight Heat 1
1. BU (A), 6:43.29; 2. Wisconsin (A), 6:44.87; 3. Villanova, 6:46.87; 4. Radcliffe (B), 6:49.21; 5. Wisconsin (C), 6:58.86; 6. MIT (A), 7:01.67; 7. MIT (B), 7:25.22
UW (A) Lineup: Coxswain Brianna Murphy, Lara Tiramani, Jennifer Kish, Julia Glueck, Brianna Wynne, Katie Rosoff, Christina Stevenson, Emma Landauer, Gretchen Miron
UW (C) Lineup: Coxswain Eleanor Martin, Jenn Whitehill, Sonja Liljegren, Robin Richey, Nicole Bowman, Katheryn Ruffalo, Madeline Fontain, Rachel Yan, Emma Rowell

Lightweight Eight Heat 2
1. Radcliffe (A), 6:38.54; 2. Princeton (A), 6:40.80; 3. BU (B), 6:47.19; 4. Wisconsin (B), 6:52.80; 5. Georgetown, 6:53.11; 6. Princeton (B), 6:54.67
UW (B) Lineup: Coxswain Tenzin Khangkar, Allesandra Ruenger, Mirha Girt, Olivia Meehan, Bea Tobey, Sydney Steiner, Julia Rollins, Mackenzie Whiteside, Marlee Piette

Varsity Eight
1. Miama, 6:47.81; 2. Connecticut, 6:50.83; 3. Wisconsin, 6:53.38; 4. San Diego State, 7:01.33; 5. Fairfield, 7:10. 86
UW Lineup: Coxswain Brianna Murphy, Lara Tiramani, Jennifer Kish, Julia Glueck, Brianna Wynne, Katie Rosoff, Christina Stevenson, Emma Landauer, Gretchen Miron