MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State women’s rowing team saw its 1stVarsity 8 and its 3rd Varsity 8 reach the Grand Finals as the Big 12 Championship came to a close on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on Sunday.
K-State finished in the regatta in fourth place with a total score of 74 points. Texas went on to win the event with a total score of 137 points.
“The crews raced better today,” head coach Patrick Sweeney. “The 1V8 and 3V8 posted good results, turning their results at the Sunflower Showdown around. I thought the 1V8 rowed really well. The 2V8 showed inexperience yesterday but put a better race together today, similar to the 1V4.”
The Wildcats started strong on Saturday as the 1V8 posted a time of 6:39.528 to finish in third place in the second heat of the prelims and earn a spot in Sunday’s Grand Finals. Consisting of coxswain Meaghan Kuzmich and rowers Marissa Butrum, Noelle Dykmann, Mary Rose Eakes, Kayla Brock, Samantha Bendrick, Courtney Winkley, Erin Roeser and Madi Haney, the boat finished in fourth place in the Grand Finals with a time of 6:53.263.
K-State’s 3V8 took a similar path to Sunday’s Grand Finals, taking third in the first heat on Saturday with a time of 6:56.543 to qualify. Coxswain Aimee Farrell and rowers Maggie Burg, Kelsey Eagleman, Kaylin Edwards, Molly Ross, Grace Reilly, Nikole Cain, Samantha Samskey and Taylor DeWeeseled the boat to a fourth place finish in Sunday’s Grand Finals with a final time of 7:16.798.
The 2nd Varsity 8 and the 1st Varsity 4 recorded victories in their races, posting times of 7:05.443 and 7:51.015, respectively. The 2nd Varsity 4 took second in its Petite Final, posting a time of 8:12.065, three seconds behind West Virginia who finished with a time of 8:09.853.
“The conference is definitely getting faster and we need to improve our depth and commitment,” Sweeny added. “Our young team will have seen how much more is required. Although it was a difficult year with weather conditions, they did not use that as an excuse and kept trying to improve.”
Haney was also recognized for her outstanding season as she was named to the 2016 All-Big 12 team. Haney raced in all of the team’s races this season and was a member of the gold medal winning 1V8 at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships (SIRAs).
Josh Brunner – Graduate Assistant – Athletic Communications