Hawkeyes Notch Runner-Up Finish at Longhorn Invitational

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AUSTIN, Texas – The University of Iowa rowing team competed against No. 8 Texas, No. 14 Duke, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon State, San Diego, and UCF at the Longhorn Invitational on Saturday.

With the NCAA boat classes squaring off in two rounds of racing, the Hawkeyes’ I Eight, II Eight, and I Four faced #14 Duke, vote getter, USD, and Oklahoma during the morning session.

Leading the way for Iowa was the I Eight crew coxed by Georgia Sanderson.  The Hawks got out to a rocky start and found themselves down to the Toreros early.  They worked through the field quickly to establish a half-length lead by the 500m mark.  By the 1000m mark it was a full length, which they maintained to the finish to win the flight.

The II Eights also got off to a slow start and spent entire 2000m course making up the deficit to leaders Duke.  Moving steadily away from Oklahoma and San Diego and though the Blue Devils, the Hawkeyes just ran out of room to finish the job, coming up a mere 0.03 seconds short of winning the flight.

The Hawkeyes’ I Four led from wire to wire, finishing in front of runner up Duke, Oklahoma, and San Diego with a time of 7:01.44.

The two wins and a runner up in the three NCAA boat classes resulted in a top team finish in the flight for the Hawks and placed all three crews in their respective A-Finals for the afternoon.

Joining their teammates in their A-Finals were the II Four and Novice Eight crews.  The II Four won their heat in convincing fashion, besting runner-up Duke by open water.  The Novice Eight raced to a third place finish against tough competition from Texas but posted a time that launched them to the premier afternoon race for the III/Novice eights.

Seeded second to Texas for the afternoon NCAA-class finals, Iowa lived up to its billing by sweeping the second spot in each of the three events.  The I Eights, III Eights, and I Four were won by the host Longhorns with the Hawkeyes open water ahead of the next closest challengers.

The II Four and Novice Eight crews struggled in the second round of racing and fell to strong competition in their afternoon finals.

The Hawkeyes travel to Indiana to compete against No. 20 Michigan State and No. 19 Louisville April 1.

Longhorn Invitational Lineups

1V8+
Eve Stewart, Kaelynn Heiberg, Izzy Dolba, Victoria Bricker, Morgan Grastorf, Kat Tillman, Ashley Duda, Cristy Hartman, Georgia Sanderson (coxswain)

2V8+
Baillie McCunn, Dani Bender, Hannah Greenlee, Gemma Kerr, Contessa Harold, Megan Sprengeler, Sarah Powell, Rachel Canon, Faith Wieland (coxswain)

1V4+
Ashlynn Bauer, Claire Rutherford, Hannah Bristowe, Katie Pearson, Logan Jones (coxswain)

2V4+

Carly Millerd, Zora Marinkovich, Allison Blevins, Paige Schlapkohl, Elizabeth Pritchard (coxswain)

N8+
Taylor Williams, Skye Sperry/Jordan McKeag, Kennedy Voss, Kathryn Kuennen, Paige Przybylski, Alysson Wittmeyer, Brittany Moore, Hannah Bluder, Laura Justis (coxswain)

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