Rowing Places Four at SIRA Championships

Rowing Places Four at SIRA Championships

Contact: Shawn Sell

4/21/2003

UC's second varsity eight finished second at the SIRA Championships.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn.---Cincinnati?s second varsity eight registered a second place finish, leading the Bearcat rowing team?s participation at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championships over the weekend.

Cincinnati?s second eight of Rhonda Burke, Erin Liesenfled, Rachel Armstrong, Katie Herman, Lauren Baker, DaVonna Tucker, Marta Borazanian, Ashley Biershbach and Melissa Kleine took runner-up honors in 7:02.5, finishing behind only nationally-ranked Tennessee, after the Bearcats won the event at SIRA last year.

The Bearcats were one of only three teams in the field, the others being Tennessee and Purdue to advance four boats to the A-final of the regatta.

?Overall, it was a good regatta for us as a team,? said Bearcat head coach Tim Royalty. ?We were pleased to get four of our boats into the A-final. We just need to get a little bit more speed out of the Varsity 8 and I think they will continue to improve.?

Cincinnati returns to action this weekend, hosting the first dual race of the season against Kansas.

SIRA Results
Varsity 8--5th, 6:46.3
Second Varsity 8--2nd, 7:02.5
Varsity 4--6th, 7:58.9
Novice 4--6th, 8:24.0
Novice 8--8th, 7:23.4