By Benjamin Lampkin
It wasn’t rowing weather on Sunday, but more than 1,000fans crowded the shoreline near the University of Louisvilleboathouse on the Ohio River to watch the Cardinal rowing teamsdominate Murray State in the third annual Derby Collegiate RowingChampionships. The Cardinals swept all six 500-meter races on theriver, and have collected 12 victories in the event’sthree-year history.
U of L and Murray are the only two schools in Kentucky thatsponsor NCAA Division I rowing.
“This was a tremendous day for Louisville rowing,”said fourth-year head coach Richard Ruggieri. “More than1,000 fans turned out to watch these two teams battle it out on theriver and I couldn’t be any happier. Our sport is stillgrowing in this area, and to have this type of turnout says a lotabout this community and how it supports its localathletes.”
In the first Varsity race, the Cards won by a margin of 4.87seconds. They followed with wins at 3.23 seconds and 7.89 secondsin the second and third races, respectively.
The Cardinals’ top Varsity squad consisted of LeslieWalters, Allison Kemphaus, Amelia Buhts, Lisa Terreberry, CarmenNoltemeyer, Nicole Alderson, Jessica Grigsby, Stephanie George, andcoxswain Christy Ochsner.
Filling the Varsity 8+ boat were Colleen Blaschuk, BethDaunhauer, Brooke Spence, Mandy Moore, Dana Osoffsky, Karen Bramer,Olivia Brittain, Melissa Grieshaber, and coxswain Diana Golub. Theywon all three races with times of 13.40 seconds, 11.50 seconds, and12.48 seconds, respectively.
The Novice 8+ exhibition races consisted of both Louisvilleteams going head-to-head, with the red boat topping the black boatin three close races. Two races were decided by less than 0.5seconds, while the third was won by 1.64 seconds.
The Red team was made up of coxswain Jenna Sample, MarthaShults, Katie Prince, Becky Popham, Erica Boils, Meg Densmore, AmyIsaacs, Adrienne Roman, and Emi Itabashi (from Murray State).
In the Black boat was coxswain Devon Scott, Jen Allen, StephanieBaker, Charly Day, Denise Borders, Emily Cook (Murray State),Nicole Erwin (Murray State), Sarah Millican and Dena Scott.
“I am extremely pleased with the way we rowedtoday,” said Ruggieri. “The wins today along with thegold medal performances from last weekend at the SIRA Championshipswill give us confidence as we prepare for the NCAARegionals.”
Louisville continues its season after the end of the semesterwith a trip to Oak Ridge, Tenn. for the NCAA Southern RegionalChampionships on May 15-16.
Should they qualify, the NCAA Championships will be inSacramento, Calif. from May 28-30.
