CHERRY HILL, N.J. - The Wisconsin lightweight rowing team kicked off the Knecht Cup well Saturday afternoon on the Cooper River, winning multiple events and placing in the top three in others.

In the first race of the day, the Badgers participated in a double scull heat where Daisy Hester and Frankie Park placed fourth out of six teams with a time of 9:51.70. Next, in another double sculls race, Wisconsin's "A" boat of Abbey DiChiara and Romy McCarthy placed second out of six teams finishing just behind MIT. In the last double sculls heat of the day, Miya Lee and Meghan Fairley secured another top-three finish earning a time of 9:47.85, finishing behind Boston University and Radcliffe.

Next up, the Badgers took home a victory in the Frosh/Novice Four race with a lineup of Charlotte Wise at Coxswain, Hannah Fineberg, Miya Lee, Sophie Vande Slunt and Estelle Stout. They finished with a time of 9:11.21 which was a full 26 seconds in front of second place Jefferson. 

In the varsity four event the Badgers secured a spot in the grand final tomorrow by finishing third in the first heat, and second in the semifinals. The lineup of Emilie Rochon at coxswain followed by Charlotte Mirzaian, Anika Hanson, Payton Bradford and Adeline Hinkie proved to be successful, finishing with times of 8:34.89, and 8:59.08.

The second varsity four finished first in their race beating schools like Drexel, Marist, and Duquesne en route to a 9:07.09 finish. 

In the final races of the day for Wisconsin, the second varsity eight finished at number three in the first heat with a time of 7:39.74. In their afternoon semifinal, they improved on their finish, coming in first place with a time of 7:25.88.

Today was a massive success for the Badgers, building off of their strong start from the week prior.

STRAIGHT FROM THE SHORE:
Head Coach Hadzo "Hodge" Habibovic
"We had one goal today: to get as many of our boats in the grand finals as possible. We did just that by making the grand finals in seven of our eight events and the one event we missed, we are in the B-final. Was a full day of rainy cold racing and our team showed up. Now we race for all the marbles tomorrow."

Knecht Cup
April 12, 2025
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cooper River
2000 Meters

Double Sculls
Heat 1
1. Radcliffe, 8:45.55; 2. Gordon College, 9:13.27; 3. MIT, 9:37.59; 4. Wisconsin, 9:51.70; 5. Dominican University, 10:10.45; 6. Jefferson, 10.58.80
UW Lineup: 2. Daisy Hester 1. Frankie Park

Heat 2
1. MIT, 8:55.94; 2. Wisconsin, 9:09.20; 3. Boston University, 9:11.51; 4. Georgetown, 9:42.56; 5. Pittsburgh, 10:34.05; 6. U.S. Marine Academy, 13:52.00
UW Lineup: 2. Abbey DiChiara 1. Romy McCarthy

Heat 3
1. Radcliffe A, 9:16.00; 2. Boston U. B, 9:26.38; 3. Wisconsin B, 9:47.85; 4. Pittsburgh B, 10:08.86
UW Lineup - 2. Miya Lee 1. Meghan Fairley

Women's Varsity Four
Heat 1
1. Mercyhurst, 8:56.94; 2. Wisconsin, 8:59.08; 3. Fordham, 8:59.38; 4. UMass, 9:08.34; 5. Monmouth, 9:37.96

Semifinal 3
1. Lafayette, 8:27.50; 2. Jacksonville University, 8:32.61; 3. Wisconsin, 8:34.89; 4. UMass, 8:41.55; 5. UAlbany, 8:46.80; 6. Lehigh, 8:51.64
UW Lineup: Coxswain Emilie Rochon 4. Charlotte Mirzaian 3. Anika Hanson 2. Payton Bradford 1. Adeline Hinkie

Women's Frosh/Novice Four
Heat 4
1. Wisconsin, 9:11.21; 2. Jefferson, 9:37.67; 3. University of New Hampshire, 10:16.53; 4. University of New Hampshire "B", 10:17.66
UW Lineup: Coxswain Charlotte Wise 4. Hannah Fineberg 3. Miya Lee 2. Sophie Vande Slunt 1. Estelle Stout

Second Varsity Four
Heat 3
1. Wisconsin, 9:07.90; 2. Drexel, 9:11.25; 3. Marist, 9:35.02; 4. Duquesne, 9:38.33
UW Lineup: Coxswain Maggie Wagner 4. Meghan Fairley 3. Jame Wild 2. Daisy Hester 1. Frankie Park

Second Varsity Eight
Semifinal 2
1. MIT, 7:28.22; 2. Bucknell, 7:32.52; 3. Wisconsin, 7:39.74; 4. UMass, 7:44.50; 5. Marist, 7:58.58; 6. Boston University, 8:04.85
UW Lineup: Coxswain Sarah Rab 8. Alex Palmberg 7. Olivia Palmberg 6. Claire Rulyak 5. Ella Springer 4. Payton Bradford 3. Anika Hanson 2. Payton Tonnos 1. Georgia Harlow