The Hamilton College women’s rowing team opened competition at the NCAA Championships on Friday with the varsity 8 and second varsity 8 both racing. The varsity 8 finished second in a four-boat heat to earn an automatic berth in Saturday’s grand final.
The second varsity 8, who rowed twice, will race in a petite final on Saturday morning at 10:52 local time (1:52 p.m. in New York). The Continentals are making the program’s first appearance at the NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing Championships, which are being held at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif.
Hamilton's nationally ranked No. 4 varsity 8 was second to top-ranked Bates College in a four-boat heat. The Continentals finished the 2,000-meter race in 6:56.238, trailing only the Bobcats (6:53.088). No. 6 Wellesley College and No. 12 Washington College (Md.) followed in 7:00.846 and 7:05.303, respectively.
The top two boats in each of Friday morning’s varsity 8 heats advanced to the grand final, which will be held on Saturday morning at 11:28 local time (2:28 p.m. in New York). Hamilton and Bates’ varsity 8 will be joined by the varsity 8 from No. 3 Trinity College and No. 2 Williams College along with Wellesley and No. 5 Tufts University, who won Friday evening’s repechage races.
Hamilton’s second varsity 8 took third place in Friday morning’s heat. The Continentals finished in 7:38.860 with second varsity 8s from Bates and Wellesley taking the top two spots. In the repechage, Hamilton posted another third-place finish out of four boats. The Continentals posted a time of 7:32.206, trailing Wellesley (7:08.917) and Williams (7:14.832), but finishing ahead of Washington (7:56.202).
Hamilton’s second varsity 8 faces Washington in Saturday’s petite final; the winner of the race will earn a fifth-place finish with the runner-up placing sixth.
The varsity 8 features coxswain Heather Piekarz ’16, eighth seat Erin Gerrity ’15, seventh seat Keara Lynn ’16, sixth seat Caroline Walton ’15, fifth seat Rachel Cooley ’18, fourth seat Olivia Shehan ’18, third seat Karly Moore ’15, second seat Emma Zanazzi ’15 and bow Jessica Pedersen ’15.
The second varsity 8 consists of coxswain Gabby Troya ’18, eighth seat Emily Hedison ’17, seventh seat Claire Callahan ’18, sixth seat Rachel Landman ’15, fifth seat Alexandra Brantl ’18, fourth seat Samantha Benevelli ’18, third seat Ally Kontra ’15, second seat Charlotte Andrews ’17 and bow Meredith Garner ’15.
