OKLAHOMA CITY – The Wisconsin women's rowing team kicked off its fall 2023 season by competing at the Head of the Oklahoma over the weekend on the Oklahoma River. The squad beat both the 90-degree heat and the competition, taking home multiple medals across a variety of boat classes.

The Badgers faced off with several local Oklahoma teams as well as opponents from the central part of the United States, with most competitors coming in from Texas, Colorado and Kansas. 

In Saturday's women's collegiate fours head race, all three Wisconsin teams placed in the top five. UW Team B (Coxswain Caitlin Cowan, Sophia Ortega, Nora Byrne, Grace Belson, Tassneem Arafa) came in first place with a time of 15:50.8, Boat A (Coxswain Emma Collins, Falcon Jaacks, Payton Tonnos, Madison Stack, Alicia Le Bars), a lightweight entry, came in third with a time of 16:05.0, and Team C (Coxswain Lindsey Meyer, Kylie Magnus, Sky Teegen, Sophia Gruenling, Ana Magana Campos) came in fifth with 16:18.7.

The last race of the daytime for the Badgers was the women's collegiate eights head race, where UW's entry, led by coxswain Lindsey Meyer, came in first place with a time of 14:34.4.



Wisconsin had several boats qualify to participate in the Head of the Oklahoma's signature night sprints event grand finals where competitors spent their Saturday evening racing a memorable 500 meters under stadium lighting and with fireworks at the finish. Wisconsin took second (Team A) and third place (Team B) in the women's fours night sprint and came in third in the women's eights.

On Sunday, UW kept their momentum with all four Badger women's open fours teams placing in the top five, including a sweep of the medal stand.

To cap off the weekend, the Badgers took home gold, silver and bronze in the women's open pairs event, with all nine Wisconsin pairs finishing in the top-10.

Straight from the Shore
Head Coach Vicki Opitz
On the team's performance
"I thought it was fabulous. The women on both squads did a tremendous job of handling, not only back to back races and different boat classes, but also the 90 degree heat, which we are not used to in Madison at this point."

On managing the head races and night sprints
"I feel pretty confident saying that the women from both teams had a wonderful time. The ability to do a long head race followed by a short, bursty piece underneath the lights was really exciting to watch and I think the athletes really enjoyed it."

On her first regatta with the team
"[This regatta is] special in that it is the first, but looking forward to building off of it. I think you're only as good as your last success and I think the athletes are starting to learn that it's fun to win, and it's fun to keep working towards more victories and more fitness."

Up Next: The Badgers will compete in a scrimmage versus the University of Minnesota on Oct. 14 in Minneapolis. 

Head of the Oklahoma
Sep. 30-Oct. 1, 2023
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Oklahoma River
2.5 miles

Women's Collegiate Pairs (33 entries)
1. Wisconsin A,16:55.8; 2. Tulsa A, 17:11.2; 3. Alabama A, 17:13.5; 7. Wisconsin C, 17:42.7; 9. Wisconsin B, 17:52.3; 11. Wisconsin F, 17:58.7, 12. Wisconsin E, 18:03.6; 14. Wisconsin, 18:06.8; 29. Wisconsin, 24:42.3

UW A - Olivia Meskan, Anna Ardito
UW B - Mara Cassidy, Oona Zilavy
UW C - Georgia Morrow, LIzzy Hanemann
UW D - Adeline Hinkie, Daisy Hester
UW E - Kira Funk, Jordan Morrissey
UW F - Macy Mosner, Morgan Jensema
UW G - Evelyn Payne, Alicia Le Bars

Women's Collegiate Fours
500 Meter Sprint Grand Final 
1. Alabama A, 1:42.9; 2. Wisconsin B, 1:44.8; 3. Wisconsin B, 1:46.0; 4. Wisconsin Lightweights, 1:47.5; 5. Oklahoma A, 1:49.2; 6. Oklahoma B, 1:52.3

500 Meter Sprint Petite Final
1. Wisconsin, 1:47.0; 2. Clemson A, 1:48.9; 3. Clemson B, 1:50.5; 4. Central Oklahoma A, 2:03.9; 5. Central Oklahoma B, 2:08.3; 6. Kansas State, 2:12.6

Head Race (Qualified for Night Sprints (27 entries)
1. Wisconsin B, 15:50.8; 2. Tulsa A, 16:00.4; 3. Wisconsin A (Lightweights), 16:05.0; 5. Wisconsin C, 16:18.7

UW A - Coxswain Emma Collins, Falcon Jaacks, Payton Tonnos, Madison Stack, Alicia Le Bars
UW B - Coxswain Caitlin Cowan, Sophia Ortega, Nora Byrne, Grace Belson, Tassneem Arafa
UW C - Coxswain Lindsey Meyer, Kylie Magnus, Sky Teegen, Sophia Gruenling, Ana Magana Campos

Women's Open/Collegiate Eights
500 Meter Sprint Grand Final (12 entries)
1. Clemson A, 1:33.2; 2. Alabama A, 1:35.1; 3. Wisconsin B, 1:35.2; 6. Wisconsin, 1:41.3

Collegiate Head Race (Qualified for Night Sprint) (19 entries)
1. Wisconsin B, 14:34.4; 2. Clemson A, 14:41.5; 3. Alabama A, 14:50.3; 4. Oklahoma, 15:06.7; 5. Wisconsin C, 15:06.7; 7. Wisconsin A (Lightweights), 15:12.3; 9. Wisconsin D (Lightweights), 15:25.6

UW A - Coxswain Sarah Rab, Falcon Jaacks, Payton Tonnos, Madison Stack, Alicia Le Bars, Victoria Moda, Rianne Wagner, Evelyn Payne, Sierra Mason
UW B - Coxswain Lindsey Meyer, Sophia Ortega, Nora Byrne, Anna Ardito, Olivia Meskan, Mara Cassidy, Oona Zilavy, Grace Belson, Tassneem Arafa
UW C - Coxswain Catilin Cowan, Kylie Magnus, Sky Teegen, Sophia Gruenling, Kira Funk, Jordan Morrissey, Lizzy Hanemann, Georgia Morrow, Ana Magana Campos
UW D - Coxswain Emma Collins, Georgia Harlow, Daisy Hester, Romy McCarthy, Ella Springer, Adeline Hinkie, Marley Burgess, Abbey DiChiara, Olivia Moore

Women's Open Fours (10 entries)
1. Wisconsin A (Lightweights), 16:09.0; 2. Wisconsin D, 16:14.5; 3. Wisconsin B, 16:28.3; 5. Wisconsin C (Lightweights), 16:46.5

UW A - Coxswain Sarah Rab, Falcon Jaacks, Alicia Le Bars, Rianne Wagner, Evelyn Payne
UW B - Coxswain Lindsey Meyer, Mara Cassidy, Oona Zilavy, Olivia Meskan, Anna Ardito
UW C - Coxswain Emma Collins, Gracie Walker, Adeline Hinkie, Ella Springer, Marley Burgess
UW D - Coxswain Caitlin Cowan, Georgia Morrow, Elizabeth Hanemann, Macy Mosner, Morgan Jensema

Women's Open Pairs (11 entries)
1. Wisconsin A, 16:57.2; 2. Wisconsin B, 17:10.0; 3. Wisconsin C (Lightweights), 17:12.0; 4. Wisconsin D, 17:27.7; 5. Wisconsin E, 17:33.6; 6. Wisconsin F, 17:53.4; 7. Wisconsin G, 18:00.8; 8. Wisconsin H (Lightweights), 18:15.1; 10: Wisconsin I (Lightweights), 18:46.5

UW A - Olivia Meskan, Anna Ardito
UW B - Mara Cassidy, Oona Zilavy
UW C - Maddie Stack, Payton Tonnos
UW D - Georgia Morrow, Ana Magana Campos
UW E - Grace Belson, Tassneem Arafa
UW F - Sophia Ortega, Nora Byrne
UW G - Georgia Harlow, Victoria Moda
UW H - Sierra Mason, Romy McCarthy
UW I - Olivia Moore, Helena Ikenberry