UConn Has Successful First Day At Knecht Cup

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 12, 2008) – The University of Connecticut women’s rowing team had a successful first day of racing at the Knecht Cup as the varsity eight and novice eight boats advanced to Sunday’s grand final and the second varsity eight went on to the petite final.

The varsity eight placed second in the heat in a time of 6:53.8 while Rhode Island was first in 6:50.0. UConn topped North Carolina (6:56.4), Lehigh (7:05.7), Robert Morris (7:15.3) and Delaware(7:19.1) in that heat.

In the semifinal, UConn advanced to the grand final by placing second, behind Bucknell and in front of Drexel, Colgate, Tulsa and West Virginia.

The UConn varsity eight consisted of Katie Beasley (Centerville, Mass.), junior Kathy Les (South Windsor, Conn.), senior Olga Solovyova (New London, Conn.), freshman Gretchen Stern (Rexford, N.Y.), sophomore Sarah Willhoft (Manchester, Conn.), senior Monica Parker (Glastonbury, Conn.), sophomore Katie Rauscher (Manchester, Conn.), sophomore Rebecca Likar (East Lyme, Conn.) and junior Heather Gates (Monmouth Beach, N.J.).

The UConn novice eight placed second in their heat (7:22.2) behind Boston College (7:17.7) and in front of Drexel, Fordham, Cincinnati and Maryland.  In the semifinal, UConn advanced to the grand final by placing third, behind North Carolina and Boston College and ahead of Delaware, Marist and Lafayette.

That boat consisted of sophomore Katelyn Donovan (Sherman, Conn.), freshman Julie Tibbetts (East Lyme, Conn.), freshman Efmorfia Efthimiou (Stonington, Conn.), freshman Kim Weber (Ridgefield, Conn.), sophomore Margaret Hoagland (Chaplin, Conn.), sophomore Lizzie Littlewood (Mystic, Conn.), freshman Amanda Cote (Wakefield, R.I.), freshman Brittany Weiss (New Milford, Conn.) and freshman Robin Calhoun (Evanston, Ill.).

The second varsity eight placed third in its heat (7:17.8) behind UMass (7:00.0) and Fordham (7:12.1) and in front of Colgate (7:24.1), Delaware (7:34.5),and Sacred Heart (8:27.6).  In the afternoon, UConn placed fifth in its semifinal, which earned a place in the petite final.

That boat was freshman Mollie Riester (Buffalo, N.Y.), senior Allyson Zoppa (East Hartford, Conn.), sophomore Kristen Beasley (Centerville, Mass.), freshman Audrey Squire (Kinnelon, N.J.), sophomore Jennifer Reynolds (South Hero, Vt.), senior Maddie Bey (South Windsor, Conn.),  sophomore Lizzie Dargie (Waterford, Conn.), sophomore Mikey Sevick (Simsbury, Conn.) and junior Stephanie Bryant (Natick, Mass.).

The second novice eight had a final only and UConn placed second behind North Carolina and in front of Lafayette, Penn State, ad Duquesne. That boat was Taylor Pence (Vienna, Va.), freshman Brittany Koether (Orange, Conn.), sophomore Jackie Ortuso (Somerset, N.J.), freshman Isabella Draper (Bridgeport, Conn.), freshman Renee Rubenstein (North Haven, Conn.), sophomore Allison Cote (Granby, Conn.), freshman Brittany Schramm (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Donovan and sophomore Manouchka Sanon (Ramapo, N.Y.).

The varsity four placed fifth in its heat and did not advance to the semifinals. That boat was sophomore Leah Masopust (Morris, Conn.), sophomore Hayley Percy (Woodbridge, Conn.), sophomore Charisse Laughery (Columbia, Conn.) and sophomore Liz Harsley (Riverdale, N.J.).