May 29, 2015

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GOLD RIVER, Calif. --- The No. 12 Wisconsin women's rowing team came within fractions of a second from guaranteeing one of the top-three performances in the school's NCAA rowing history from the varsity eight. The exciting finish in the event was one of the highlights for the Badgers on the first day of the 2015 NCAA Rowing Championships on Friday.

Racing on Lake Natoma, the Wisconsin varsity eight trailed both Washington State and Harvard after 1,500 meters of its afternoon repechage. With just the first two boats advancing to the semifinals, which assures a top-12 finish in the event, the Badgers closed hard over the final 500 meters.

Down over two seconds to second-place Harvard at that point, UW closed to within inches, but fell short by 0.222 seconds for the second spot. The Badgers have finished higher than 13th in the varsity eight at NCAAs on two occasions, with a 10th-place result in 2010 and a ninth-place spot in 2011. This year marks the 12th NCAA appearance for the Badgers and the Badgers can still equal the 1999, 2008 and 2012 crews for the third-best NCAA finish for the varsity eight. Each placed 13th during their seasons.

The second varsity eight did advance in its repechage, leaving no doubt by winning and advancing to Saturday's A/B semifinal round. The Badgers had an open water advantage at the finish over second-place Indiana. USC placed third in the race.

The Badgers were third in their morning heat, behind Brown and Ohio State, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams heading into the championships.
Wisconsin's second varsity eight's performance makes it eight semifinals in 12 trips to the NCAAs, with the 2006 crew's third-place finish standing as the boat's benchmark.

UW's varsity four, which has reached the grand final on five prior trips to the championships, fell short of the semifinals for just the second time in the program's NCAA history, placing fifth in its repechage after rowing to fourth place in its morning heat. UW's top varsity four finish came in 2009, when its crew placed second, the best result for a Badger boat at the NCAAs.

The Badgers return to the water on Saturday, starting with the varsity eight in the C/D semifinal at 10:30 a.m. CT. Top three in the C/D semifinal will qualify for the third-level final on Sunday for places 13-18.

Wisconsin's second varsity eight looks to reach Sunday's grand final with its semifinal against Washington, California, Ohio State, Texas and Michigan at 11:30 a.m.

The varsity four competes at noon in its C/D semifinal.

2015 NCAA Rowing Championships
Gold River, Calif.
Lake Natoma
May 29, 2015
2,000 meters

Varsity Eight
Repechage (Top two advance to A/B semifinals, rest to C/D semifinals)
1. Washington State, 6:27.798; 2. Harvard, 6:29.088; 3. Wisconsin, 6:29.310; 4. USC, 6:33.541; 5. Yale, 6:34.927; 6. Massachusetts, 6:55.713

Heat 2 (Top two advance to A/B semifinals, rest to afternoon repechage)
1. Ohio State, 6:25.261; 2. Michigan, 6:32.168; 3. Indiana, 6:34.029; 4. Wisconsin, 6:45.175; 5. UCF, 6:55.911

UW Lineup -- Coxswain Lily Hansen, Hannah Schwartz, Kristine Kammers, Gillian Cooper, Sophia Vitas, Anne Rauschert, Steph Malchine, Brianna Dahm, Dani Steinberg

Second Varsity Eight
Repechage 1 (Top two advance to A/B semifinals, rest to C/D semifinals)
1. Wisconsin, 6:36.792; 2. Indiana, 6:40.155; 3. USC, 6:47.018; 4. Notre Dame, 6:51.692; 5. Massachusetts, 6:54.995; 6. Gonzaga, 6:57.369; 7. Jacksonville, 7:29.928

Heat 3 (Top two advance to A/B semifinals, rest to afternoon repechage)
1. Brown, 6:30.271; 2. Ohio State, 6:32.995; 3. Wisconsin, 6:45.631; 4. Princeton, 6:49.717; 5. Northeastern, 6:56.938; 6. Jacksonville, 7:33.547

UW Lineup -- Coxswain Marie Hebert, Maria Schmid, Libby O'Rourke, Madeleine Wanamaker, Kaitlin Muench, Claire Scott, Elizabeth Schoenfeldt, Anna Knutson, Nicole Hettmann

Varsity Four
Repechage 1 (Top two advance to A/B semifinals, rest to C/D semifinals)
1. Michigan, 7:27.074; 2. Texas, 7:28,991; 3. USC, 7:31.506; 4. Navy, 7:32.748; 5. Wisconsin, 7:39.568; 6. Gonzaga, 7:47.157

Heat 4 (Top two advance to A/B semifinals, rest to afternoon repechage)
1. Ohio State, 7:22.704; 2. Washington State, 7:23.521; 3. Stanford, 7:31.599; 4. Wisconsin, 7:48.964; 5. Northeastern, 7:56.388; 6. Jacksonville, 8:44.004

UW Lineup -- Coxswain Katherine Condon, Kelsey Kramer, Margo Grover, Pamela Schommer, Marissa Gibson

Participating Teams
California, Ohio State, Stanford, Brown, Washington, Virginia, Michigan, Yale, Princeton, Indiana, Washington State, Texas, Harvard, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, USC, Gonzaga, UCF, Northeastern, Massachusetts, Navy, Jacksonville