WORCESTER, MA (May 12, 2023) – The Tufts University women's rowing team was the only squad to medal in all National Invitational Rowing Championships (NIRC) races on Friday at Lake Quinsigamond, earning the team points trophy while finishing second in the NESCAC Championships race.
The conference championship is determined by the first varsity race at NIRC. Tufts' 1V8 started the day by defeating rival Bates College in the second heat with a 7:14.442 time across 2000 meters to the 7:16.040 finish by the Bobcats. In a six-team grand final, Tufts was second among conference teams and third overall with their 6:42.123 time. They were behind only second-place Williams College (6:41.07) in NESCAC, while Wellesley College won the race overall in a 6:39.03 time.
The Jumbo 1V8 lined up with coxswain
Hannah Jiang, stroke
Sam Lazar,
Reilly Uiterwyk,
Shira Roberts,
Hadley Keefe,
Summer Maxwell,
Lucy Howell,
Emma Lyle and
Sophia Brackett.
Overall, Tufts was the only team at the NIRC to medal (top three) in every event. The Jumbos won the team points trophy at what is the deepest, strongest D3 women's regatta in the country.
Tufts' second varsity was third overall at NIRC's with a 6:53.590 mark, behind conference mates Wesleyan University (6:50.350) and Bates (6:53.212). The Jumbos had been second in their heat (7:17.359).
NESCAC champion Williams College gets the conference's automatic NCAA berth. The Jumbos, with these solid first and second varsity performances today, will hope to receive an at-large NCAA berth when they are announced on Tuesday.
Tufts' 2V8 today was steered by coxswain
Lauren Pollock with power from stroke
Margot Durfee,
Amanda Downing,
Grace Hamilton,
Emma Mahoney,
Karen Dooley,
Meagan Matt,
Eden Simko and
Samara Haynes.
Tufts' combined finishes in the 1V and 2V were its best-ever at the NIRC event.
The Jumbos won the NIRC third varsity title today with a 6:54.529 time. They were plenty ahead of runner-up Williams (6:59.989). Tufts had won its heat with a 7:18.866 mark.
The winning team featured coxswain
Liz Buehl, stroke
Lecia Sun,
Natalie Graham,
Alex Timoney,
Isabelle Berman,
Zenani Himlin-Mayekiso,
Sophie Cumming,
Molly Heeney, and
Ashna Garikapati.
Tufts also won a straight three-team final in the fourth varsity race. The Jumbos had a time of 7:06.790 for a seven-second victory over second-place Smith College (7:13.838).
The Jumbos' fourth boat was cox
Sophie Novitsky, stroke
Ashley Brzezenski,
Sanjana Rao,
Alicia Coble,
Georgia Butler,
Astrid Larson,
Aoife Schmitt,
Stella Shen and
Cecelia Wilson.
Should the Jumbos qualify, the NCAA Championships are May 26-27 in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
--JUMBOS--
