SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The No. 4 University of California San Diego women's rowing team opened its season at the Sacramento State Invitational on Lake Natoma this morning. The Tritons took part in all six races at the regatta, competing against crews from Humboldt State (RV), Mills College, Orange Coast College, Portland, Sacramento State, and St. Mary's.
This was UC San Diego's first official race since the conclusion of last season, when they placed second at the NCAA Division II Championships to tie the best finish in program history. UC San Diego returned all but two rowers from its runner-up Varsity 8 crew, with five members of that crew competing on today's Varsity 8 squad.
The Varsity 8 took fifth in their race, notching a time of 6:31.7 on the 2,000-meter course. It was a close finish, as Tritons were just over a second behind St. Mary's, who finished in 6:30.1. UC San Diego's mark was over 20 seconds faster than the time recorded by its Varsity 8 crew at the regatta last season, which was 6:51.9.
UC San Diego also took part in the Second Varsity 8. The Tritons crossed the finish line in 7:02.5, again placing fifth.
The final competition for the eights was the Women's Novice 8/Third Varsity 8. Earning second with a time of 7:13.8, the Tritons recorded their top-ranking finish of the day, which would later be matched by the Second Varsity 4.
In both the Varsity 4 and the Novice 4, UC San Diego captured third. The varsity squad turned in a time of 7:46.1, while the novice crew completed the race in 8:24.8.
The Second Varsity 4 was the final race of the Sacramento State Invitational. The Tritons earned second, finishing with a mark of 7:58.3.
UC San Diego will return to action in two weeks. The team will travel to Newport Beach to race at the Berg Cup on March 23.
Lineups:
Varsity 8: Juni Kim (cox), Tonya Khounani (8), Brooke Campbell (7), Morgan Dewing (6), Caitlin Tribelhorn (5), Sarah Proctor (4), Kyley Jones (3), Isabela Martinez (2), Alana Zaleski (1)
Second Varsity 8: Jessica Morrell (cox), Malia Mizuno (8), Emme Silverman (7), Defne Sevil (6), Sydney Colburn (5), Iulia Rusu (4), Devin Gaetje (3), Taylor Iantosca (2), Sierra Colvin (1)
Novice 8: Olivia Michael (cox), Genevieve Cassidy (8), Kaelin Davis (7), Gabriella Bailon (6), Teresa Taylor (5), Loryn Young (4), Sierra Byrne (3), Kendall Quesenberry (2), Jordyn Ohashi (1)
Varsity 4+: Marie Kawahara, Audrey Ruttan, Madeleine Wagner, Evelyn Brady, Hailey Caldwell-Meurer
Second Varsity 4+: Maile Heyer, Malia Mizuno, Emme Silverman, Defne Sevil, Sydney Colburn
Third Varsity 4+: Melanie Jaffe, Devin Gaetje, Iulia Rusu, Kiana Killian, Taylor Iantosca
Novice 4+: Chloe Park, Genevieve Cassidy, Kaelin Davis, Journey Whitfield, Jordyn Ohashi
About UC San Diego Athletics
With 30 national team championships, nearly 150 individual titles and the top student-athlete graduation rate among Division II institutions in the United States, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program annually ranks as one of the most successful in the country. The Tritons sponsor 23 intercollegiate sport programs that compete on the NCAA Division I and II levels and, in summer 2020, will transition into full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference. UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent. A total of 80 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 36 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. In competition, more than 1,300 UC San Diego student-athletes have earned All-America honors.
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