Oct. 23, 2005

BOSTON, Mass. - The University of Virginia women's rowing team placed fourth in the championship eight competition at the Head of the Charles Regatta on Sunday (Oct. 23). Virginia additionally claimed a 10th place finish in the youth eight event and a 12th place finish in the championship four competition. The regatta was held on the Charles River.

The US Rowing Princeton Training Center crew won the championship eight competition with a time of 16:34.633. Princeton University placed second in the event (16:50.059), followed by the London Training Center (16:56.389). Virginia finished fourth with a time of 17:00.156. Forty-seven crews competed in the competition.

Katie Hilton (coxswain), Ashley Jones, Libby McCann, Andria Haneman, Yvonne Epp, Kerry Maher, Katrin Sydlik, Sara Lippa, and Melanie Kok manned the championship eight boat.

The University of Victoria won the championship four event with a time of 19:07.069. Brown University finished second (19:16.712), followed by DeWolfe Rowing Club in third (19:42.580). Virginia finished fourth, but due to a one-minute penalty caused by a collision, the Cavaliers dropped to 12th with a time of 20:28.114. Eighteen crews raced in the event.

The championship four boat was comprised of Michelle Ellison (coxswain), Mindy Fiesler, Mieke Pitts, Heather Gardner, and Chrissie Monaghan.

Virginia head coach Kevin Sauer expressed satisfaction with the championship four and championship eight crews.

"The championship eight crew did a fantastic job, finishing second among college boats behind Princeton," Sauer said. "I was also pleased with the performance of the championship four crew. They were fourth without the penalty, and I think they could have placed first or second without the collision."

The youth eight event was won by Yale University with a time of 19:14.404. Brown University placed second in the competition (19:20.467) and Princeton University rowing club placed third (19:27.717). UVa finished 10th with a time of 20:26.028. Fifty-seven crews participated in the competition.

Members of the youth eight boat included Sorelle Williams (coxswain), Bridget Fowler, Mariel Plagenhoef, Vanessa Furman, Mariana Lima, Virginia Trower, Claudia Weis, Brittany Dolan, and Nicole Dinion.

The next regatta for the UVa women's rowing team is scheduled for October 30 when Virginia travels to Princeton, N.J., to race in the Princeton Chase on Lake Carnegie.