WEST WINDSOR, N.J. — The Wisconsin women's lightweight rowing team opened up the spring season by earning two podium spots at the Knecht Cup on Sunday in on Mercer Lake. 
 
After inclement weather canceled most of Saturday's competition, the Badgers had a busy day of racing in openweight eight events in addition to the lightweight eight and novice eight races. The novice eights won the grand final, while the second varsity eight finished second. 
 
"I'm extremely proud of the entire team," said head coach Dusty Mattison. "We had one exciting race after another and we were able to see where we excel and what we need to work on."
 
UW'S A boat finished third in the varsity eight semifinals with a time of 6:46.70 before rowing to a fifth-place finish in the petite final with a time of 6:52.08. 
 
Racing in the second varsity eight, the Wisconsin B boat placed first in its semifinal with a time of 6:52.25 and earned a second-place medal in the grand final with an overall time of 6:57.17.
 
"The result was not what they were hoping for but they pushed all the way down the course," said Mattison. "It will be fun to have a rematch with Harvard and Ratcliffe at the Eastern Sprints."
 
The Wisconsin C boat, racing in the novice eight, had a particularly strong outing, winning its heat in 7:22.01 and grand final in 6:57.44 to finish on top of the podium. 
 
All three Wisconsin boats rowed in the lightweight eight heats, with boat A advancing to the finals and placing fifth with a time of 6:54.01. 
 
"The lightweight field is getting faster," said Mattison. "In all my years of coaching lightweights I have never seen a field so deep. I think it's anyone's for the taking this year and we're right there in the mix."
 
The Badgers have a week off before traveling to Allendale, Michigan, to compete against Grand Valley State University on April 22. 
 
Knecht Cup
April 9, 2017
Mercer Lake
West Windsor, N.J.
2000 meters
 
Women's Varsity Eight
Petite Final
1. Temple, (6:47.02); 2. SMU (6:47.80); 3. North Carolina (6:49.11); 4. Bucknell (6:49.35); 5. Wisconsin (A), (6:52.08); 6. Fordham (6:53.18)

Semifinal 3
1. Boston University (6:45.26); 2. Boston College (6:46.53); 3. Wisconsin (A), (6:46.70); 4. Temple (6:47.61); 5. Villanova (6:55.78); 6. George Mason (7:06.06); 7. Philadelphia (7:28.23)

UW Lineup A - Coxswain Audrey Dalgarno, Brianna Wynne, Marilyn Garberg, Kathryne Ruffalo, Mirha Girt, Agathe Denis, Amanda Aiello, Grace Joyce, Janet Titzler
 
Women's Second Varsity Eight
Grand Final
1. Radcliffe (6:56.15); 2. Wisconsin (B), (6:57.17); 3. Boston College (6:57.74); 4. Bucknell (6:58.03); 5. Miami (7:00.03); 6. Temple (7:09.95)

Semi-Final 2
1. Wisconsin (B), (6:52.25); 2. Miami (6:52.65); 3. North Carolina (6:58.36); 4. Boston University (7:11.01); 5. Buffalo (7:11.07); 6. SMU (7:14.63); 7. Canisius (7:24.95)

Heat 1
1. Bucknell (7:06.64); 2. Wisconsin (B), (7:09.93); 3. Fordham (7:12.56); 4. Holy Cross (7:34.63); 5. George Mason (7:35.53); 6. Loyola (8:00.08); 7. Sacred Heart (8:26.14)
 
UW Lineup B - Coxswain Eleanor Martin, Claire Kelley, Brianna Ohm, Anna Dawley, Ariel Tallo, Shannon Lipe, Payton James, Alexandra Fochios, Anna Leach
 
Women's Lightweight Eight
Grand Final
1. Stanford (6:44.26); 2. Boston University (A), (6:46.75); 3. Princeton (6:47.85); 4. Tulsa (6:53.85); 5. Wisconsin (A), (6:54.01); 6. Radcliffe (6:55.26); 7. MIT (A), (6:55.68)
 
Heat 1 
1. Stanford (6:52.34); 2. Princeton (6:55.71); 3. Tulsa (6:59.72); 4. Georgetown (7:04.02); 5. Wisconsin (B), (7:09.31); 6. Wisconsin (C), (7:41.35)
 
Heat 2
1. Boston University (A), (6:53.66); 2. Wisconsin (A), (6:55.05); 3. Radcliffe (6:55.09); 4. MIT (A), (6:57.08); 5. MIT (B), (7:32.81); 6. Boston University (B), (7:33.13)

UW Lineup A - Coxswain Audrey Dalgarno, Brianna Wynne, Marilyn Garberg, Kathryne Ruffalo, Mirha Girt, Agathe Denis, Amanda Aiello, Grace Joyce, Janet Titzler
UW Lineup B - Coxswain Eleanor Martin, Claire Kelley, Brianna Ohm, Anna Dawley, Ariel Tallo, Shannon Lipe, Payton James, Alexandra Fochios, Anna Leach

Women's Frosh/Novice Eight
Grand Final
1. Wisconsin (C), (6:57.44); 2. Temple (7:07.04); 3. North Carolina (7:09.12); 4. Colgate (7:15.88); 5. Miami (7:21.78); 6. Buffalo (7:26.25); 7. Princeton (7:46.08)
 
Heat 2
1. Wisconsin (C), (7:22.01); 2. North Carolina (7:24.65); 3. Colgate (7:25.99); 4. Miami (7:43.87); 5. Penn State (7:54.51); 6. Pittsburgh (8:10.69); 7. High Point (8:32.92)
 
UW Lineup - Coxswain Lucille Tasker, Abigail Keith, Rachel Illgen, Caroline Bias, Hannah Fenelon, Alyssa Dezeeuw, Theresa Kimball, Meagan Barillari, Chloe Fishman