Friday, May 26
West Windsor, N.J.
9:24 a.m.
Syracuse University

vs

NCAA Championship

Photo by: Tim Cowie
Women's Rowing Places 13th at NCAA Championship
5/28/2017 12:35:00 PM | Women's Rowing
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – Behind 11th-place showings from the second varsity eight and first varsity four crews, the Syracuse women's rowing team finished in 13th place at the 2017 NCAA Championship on Mercer Lake. It marks the second straight season that Syracuse has placed 13th in the team competition at the annual national championship regatta.
"We set a very ambitious goal this season, trying to become a top-10 team," head coach Justin Moore stated. "Truth is, we failed. But, it was the kind of failure that makes sports meaningful. The women, in striving to be a top-10 team, committed to something that was bigger than themselves as individuals."
The second varsity eight boat, the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference champion and Crew of the Year, covered the 2,000-meter course in 6:56.138 to notch a fifth-place performance in the petite final. Reminiscent of the 2017 ACC Championship grand final, Syracuse rallied in the final 1,000 meters to pass conference-foe Virginia, recording its best finish by a second varsity eight boat at an NCAA Championship in program history.
"The women that came into the boat did a great job of embracing the mission," added Moore. "To be on the other side of Virginia again in the petite final, it indicates that it is not a fluke. It is not a one-time thing. The speed within our program is getting faster and we are rising to the level of a top-10 team."
The first varsity four crew, which tallied a time of 7:43.588, also used a strong finish to notch a fifth-place effort in the petite final on Sunday morning. In the last 500 meters, the Orange were able to surge past Iowa, an earlier opponent from the 2017 campaign. Syracuse crossed less than a half of a second ahead of the Hawkeyes, matching its top performance by a first varsity four boat at the annual national championship regatta.
"The troubles that the four had throughout the year and the way the women fought for one another and were unaccepting of where their performance was," commented Moore. "It was really incredible to watch. To see them get to the A/B semifinals, be in the petite final, and row their race was really impressive."
In the first varsity eight third-level final, the Orange finished in 6:39.784, which was good enough for a third-place showing. The three-time ACC Crew of the Week held off fellow league member Notre Dame down the entirety of the race course, avenging its loss from the 2017 ACC Championship grand final to the Fighting Irish.
The first varsity four boat outperformed its seeding by four positions, while the first and second varsity eight crews only placed one slot below their initial seedings entering competition.
"The seniors that are graduating from this class were not top-level recruits," concluded Moore. "They were not junior national team members. Their ergometer scores were not off the charts. They came in and, through four years of dedication, transformed themselves into top-level athletes. We owe them a debt of gratitude. As much as we talk about what it takes to be great, they spent four years showing us what it takes to be great."
2017 NCAA Championship – Friday, May 26 – Sunday, May 28
1V8+ - Spraggins, McCann, Gill, Jones, Pearce, Taylor, Caldwell, Holzman-Klima, Johnson
2V8+ - Mennillo, Lee, Andolfatto, Dorner, Richards, Preston, Konishesky, Tobias, Horridge
1V4+ - Rodriguez, Hudson, Aemisseger, Hughes, Humphrey
Spares – Habjan, Rubenstein
"We set a very ambitious goal this season, trying to become a top-10 team," head coach Justin Moore stated. "Truth is, we failed. But, it was the kind of failure that makes sports meaningful. The women, in striving to be a top-10 team, committed to something that was bigger than themselves as individuals."
For the second straight season, @RowOrange places 13th at the #NCAARowing Championship. #OrangeNation pic.twitter.com/j3FZhhNvZU
— Syracuse Athletics (@Cuse) May 28, 2017
The second varsity eight boat, the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference champion and Crew of the Year, covered the 2,000-meter course in 6:56.138 to notch a fifth-place performance in the petite final. Reminiscent of the 2017 ACC Championship grand final, Syracuse rallied in the final 1,000 meters to pass conference-foe Virginia, recording its best finish by a second varsity eight boat at an NCAA Championship in program history.
"The women that came into the boat did a great job of embracing the mission," added Moore. "To be on the other side of Virginia again in the petite final, it indicates that it is not a fluke. It is not a one-time thing. The speed within our program is getting faster and we are rising to the level of a top-10 team."
The first varsity four crew, which tallied a time of 7:43.588, also used a strong finish to notch a fifth-place effort in the petite final on Sunday morning. In the last 500 meters, the Orange were able to surge past Iowa, an earlier opponent from the 2017 campaign. Syracuse crossed less than a half of a second ahead of the Hawkeyes, matching its top performance by a first varsity four boat at the annual national championship regatta.
"The troubles that the four had throughout the year and the way the women fought for one another and were unaccepting of where their performance was," commented Moore. "It was really incredible to watch. To see them get to the A/B semifinals, be in the petite final, and row their race was really impressive."
In the first varsity eight third-level final, the Orange finished in 6:39.784, which was good enough for a third-place showing. The three-time ACC Crew of the Week held off fellow league member Notre Dame down the entirety of the race course, avenging its loss from the 2017 ACC Championship grand final to the Fighting Irish.
The first varsity four boat outperformed its seeding by four positions, while the first and second varsity eight crews only placed one slot below their initial seedings entering competition.
"The seniors that are graduating from this class were not top-level recruits," concluded Moore. "They were not junior national team members. Their ergometer scores were not off the charts. They came in and, through four years of dedication, transformed themselves into top-level athletes. We owe them a debt of gratitude. As much as we talk about what it takes to be great, they spent four years showing us what it takes to be great."
2017 NCAA Championship – Friday, May 26 – Sunday, May 28
1V8+ - Spraggins, McCann, Gill, Jones, Pearce, Taylor, Caldwell, Holzman-Klima, Johnson
2V8+ - Mennillo, Lee, Andolfatto, Dorner, Richards, Preston, Konishesky, Tobias, Horridge
1V4+ - Rodriguez, Hudson, Aemisseger, Hughes, Humphrey
Spares – Habjan, Rubenstein
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