Big Ten Champions! Ohio State Claims Fourth Big Ten Title

Buckeyes tally five wins en route to fourth conference championship in program history

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 3 Ohio State rowing team captured its fourth conference title Sunday morning at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Ind. In a tightly contested championship, the Buckeye first varsity eight clinched the team title for Ohio State after placing first in the final race of the morning to tally 63 points towards the team total and championship record of 160 points and secure a program victory.

 

The Buckeyes held a slim lead over Wisconsin (90) and Michigan (82) with 97 points heading into the final race. The first varsity eight of Katie King, Cori Meinert, Eelkje Miedema, Ashley Bauer, Meghan Birkbeck, Allison Elber, Holly Norton, Claire-Louise Bode and coxswain Victoria Lazur secured the conference title for the Buckeyes after sounding the horn in 6:29.46, 10.3 seconds ahead of Michigan (6:39.84) and 13.7 seconds ahead of Wisconsin (6:42.12).

 

Prior to the final race, the Buckeye second varsity eight of Daphne Socha, Katie Beletskaya, Silvia DeMatteis, Stephanie Johnson, Nicole Becks, Lauren Eckles, Samantha Fowle, Catherine Shields and coxswain Amanda Poll earned its ninth consecutive win of the season after crossing the line first with a time of 6:31.41, earning 42 points toward the team total. Wisconsin placed second in 6:42.78 while Michigan rounded out the top three crews in 6:47.45.

The first varsity four of Taylore Urban, Sara Handa, Chloe Meyer, Aina Cid-Centelles and coxswain Dara Schnoll became the third Buckeye crew to win gold after finishing its race in first place ahead of Wisconsin (7:30.89) and Michigan (7:36.44) with a time of 7:25.74. The crew earned 21 points toward the team total with the win, while also advancing Ohio State into first place with two races remaining.

 

The third varsity four and first novice eight were also victorious for the Buckeyes, earning gold medals in their respective races. The third varsity four of Julie Walsh, Sarah Marshall, Jillian Getz, Sarah Milota and coxswain Claire Sasowsky crossed the line in 7:42.46 ahead of Michigan (7:48.96) and Iowa (8:03.57) while the first novice eight of Miranda Branstool, Victoria Langwasser, Anna Gackowski, Systke Miedema, Hailey Tiarks, Bridget Verdeyen, Julia Vari, Anna Ralph and coxswain Sarah Asad sounded the horn in 7:06.90 to capture first place over Wisconsin (7:08.48) and Michigan (7:10.22). Altogether, the two crews accumulated 21 points toward the team total.

 

In the second varsity four, the Buckeye crew of Julie Dick, Anne Fruth, Sarah Kessler, Katherine Tylinski and coxswain Sami Jurofsky earned a bronze medal after finishing third with a time of 7:39.88 behind Michigan (7:31.37) and Wisconsin (7:35.71).

 

The second novice eight of Corinne Jones, Jacy Theiss, Sarah Byrd, Victoria Popp, Casey Hawkins, Nicole Bosse, Amanda Bauer, Jessa Goldner and coxswain Alexandra Irving opened the morning of racing for the Buckeyes with a fifth-place finish (7:35.43) in its race. Wisconsin placed first in 7:13.07, Michigan placed second with a time of 7:17.50 and Michigan State and Minnesota placed third and fourth with times of 7:22.64 and 7:24.01, respectively.

 

Five Buckeyes earned All-Big Ten honors at the conclusion of the championships, as Bode, Elber and Miedema were named First Team All-Big Ten and Meinert and Norton were named Second Team All-Big Ten. Meyer was named the Ohio State Sportsmanship Award honoree.

 

Ohio State returns to action at the 2013 NCAA Championships May 31-June 2 at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Ind. The full field will be announced at 5 p.m. May 21 during the NCAA Division I Rowing selection show.

2013 Big Ten Rowing Championships
May 19, 2013
Eagle Creek Park
Indianapolis, Ind.

Team Results

1. Ohio State (160)

2. Michigan (135)

3. Wisconsin (134)

4. Michigan State (85)

5. Minnesota (72)

6. Iowa (54)

7. Indiana (28)

 

All-Big Ten Teams
First Team All-Big Ten
Madelyn Shields, Indiana

Katy Kroll, Iowa

Melisa Ongun, Michigan

Shannon Stief, Michigan

Katie Cromic, Michigan State

Cassie Drozynski, Minnesota

Claire-Louise Bode, Ohio State

Allison Elber, Ohio State

Eelkje Miedema, Ohio State

Kendall Schmidt, Wisconsin

 

Second Team All-Big Ten
Asja Zero, Indiana

Laura Hallman, Iowa

Kate Grimaldi, Michigan

Bryna Oleshansky, Michigan

Nora Hannum, Michigan State

Christine Beauparlant, Minnesota

Corrine Meinert, Ohio State

Holly Norton, Ohio State

Amy Slesar, Wisconsin

Monica Whitehouse, Wisconsin

 

Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Olivia Gugliemotto, Indiana

Louise Bensz, Iowa

Colleen Macke, Michigan

Laura Moore, Michigan State

Sarah Sobek, Minnesota

Chloe Meyer, Ohio State

Melanie Moranski, Wisconsin