Women's Crew Advances to NCAA Semifinals

Friday, May 25

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

TBA

Dartmouth College

NCAA Championship Day 1

5/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing

By: Dartmouth

Oak Ridge, Tenn. ? The Dartmouth women's varsity eight crew had an exciting first day at the NCAA Championships, qualifying for the semifinals to be raced tomorrow.

After three morning heats, one of six boats and two with five, the top three finishers in each have automatically advanced to the two semifinal races.

Dartmouth's varsity eight boat was the only one of four at-large eights to advance to the semis.

The Big Green took third in a thrilling race, finishing just shy of second and just ahead of fourth. Yale won the heat in 6:33.4, with Notre Dame second in 6:35.67. Dartmouth was just behind the Irish at 6:35.90 and ahead of Stanford in 6:36.12 for the third and final qualifying spot. The photo-finish meant an agonizing wait for the Big Green, but all was well in the end when Head Coach Wendy Levash and her rowers learned that they would be in the semifinal.

This marks the first time since 1998 that Dartmouth has automatically qualified for the semifinal. In 1999, it took a strong finish in the repechage to put the Big Green in the semis. In all three of its previous NCAA Championship appearances (1997, 1998, 1999), the varsity eight has qualified for the Petite Final.

Dartmouth's lineup for the race was: Laura Bozzuto, coxswain; Anne Kennedy, stroke; Kathyrn Twyman, seven; Kate Davison, six; Britt Ousterhout, five; Nicole Bertucci, four; Molly Fales, three; Jamie Bergeson-Bradshaw, two; Kelli Hvorecny, bow

Lane assignments for tomorrow' semis will be posted later today.

Heat 2
1. Yale 6:33.40
2. Notre Dame 6:35.67
3. Dartmouth 6:35.90
4. Stanford 6:36.12
5. Tennessee 6:41.36
6. Princeton 6:51.07