Bison Rowers Place Second at Dad Vail Regatta, Kish Wins Ledwith Award

Friday, May 10

Philadelphia, Pa. (Schuylkill River)

8 a.m.

Bucknell University

Dad Vail Regatta

Photo by: Marc Hagemeier

Bison Rowers Place Second at Dad Vail Regatta, Kish Wins Ledwith Award

5/11/2019 10:22:00 PM | Women's Rowing

RESULTS

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – It was a banner weekend for the Bucknell rowing team, which finished in second place in the women's points standings after producing a number of strong performances at the historic Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River.

The Bison advanced seven boats to finals, with the second varsity eight and second varsity four posting the team's top finishes with silver medals. Temple claimed the women's points trophy with 31 points, followed by Bucknell with 27 and Drexel with 19. The Bison women's varsity squad and the men's club-varsity team combined to finish third in the overall standings with 32 points, trailing only Temple (52) and Drexel (46).

"I couldn't be more proud of our full team and the 52 women who competed today," said head coach Stephen Kish, who was presented with the Matthew J. Ledwith Coaches Award on Saturday. "They showed a lot of heart over the course of the season, and it was great to see their hard work on display today."

All four of Bucknell's eights rowed in the finals. The varsity eight posted the third-fastest time (6:31.636) in the preliminaries out of 23 teams. The Bison finished second to Drexel in their semifinal race, and then they posted a blazing 6:18.65 in a hotly contested grand final. Boston University won the event, with Drexel second and Georgetown third. The Hoyas nosed out Bucknell by inches to claim the No. 3 spot.

The 2V8+ finished in 6:32.112 to place second to Temple by about five seconds. The Bison bested Drexel, Massachusetts, Georgetown and Fordham in the grand final. The 2V4+ (7:13.409) also took second behind Temple by just over two seconds, while beating Middlebury, Florida Tech, Borodin and UMass.

Bucknell's 3V8+ finished fifth, and the freshman eight had a very strong showing with a third-place finish. That group took fourth out of 19 entries in the prelims and then came back to win its semifinal heat, bettering Purdue, Army, Georgetown, UMass and Saint Joseph's in that race. In the final, the Bison rookies finished in 6:45.521, trailing only Eastern Michigan and Grand Valley while beating Temple, Purdue and Delaware.

Bucknell's varsity four placed fifth in the grand final (7:14.337), behind Boston University, Lafayette, Grand Valley and Saint Joseph's. Earlier, the Bison took fourth of 28 teams in the prelims and then second in their semifinal race.

In the pairs competition, Menley Denham and Nicole Vacas won their prelim and then placed third in the finals. The Bison duo finished in 7:43.930, trailing only tandems from Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh while beating Temple, Army and Rollins.

The doubles tandem of Gabriela Colletti and Anna Scheitler also reached the finals, placing sixth in 8:06.511.

Kish was presented with the Ledwith Coaches Award during a break in the competition on Saturday. The award is presented to a Dad Vail Regatta coach who has a distinguished record of accomplishment and who personifies character traits worthy of emulation.

Kish, a 1992 Bucknell graduate, is wrapping up his 23rd year as the head coach of the Bison women's rowing team. One of Bucknell's most accomplished head coaches, Kish's tenure includes seven consecutive Patriot League titles from 2006 to 2012, three ECAC Metro Championships, 34 Dad Vail Regatta medals, six top-two overall team finishes at the Dad Vail Regatta, and the first national title in school history at the 2007 IRA Lightweight National Championship.

Bucknell will be back in action next Friday at the Patriot League Championship on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.

BISON CREWS
First Varsity 8+
Natalie Minella (C)
Erin Sullivan
Casey Miller
Emily Gabriel
Kassia Schubert
Claire Helmers
Natalie Kreusch
Olivia Chase
Grace Ott

Second Varsity 8+
Daniela Sciulli (C)
Emma James
Helena Yoest
Abbie Winter
Jenna Walpole
Katie Slade
Emily Downing
Olivia Smith
Audra Adams

Freshman 8+
Andrea Echo (C)
Meghan Comstock
Macy Albaitis
Nevia Selmon
Kaleigh Hilal
Jaclyn Romano
Olivia Scotti
Ally Bazarian
Jess Volcheck

3V8+
Andrea Echo (C)
Sarah Reasbeck
Emily Taylor
Avery Blasko
Kiera Mastropietro
Rachel Martinez
Madie Henderson
Talia Housman
Elyse Nissley

Doubles
Arianna Baughman
Lena Kleinberg

Gabriella Colletti
Anna Scheitler

Pair
Menley Denham
Nicole Vacas

1V4+
Daniela Sciulli (C)
Caitlin Cobb
Alex Rothstein
Kate Meerscheidt
Lauren Bell

2V4+
Colleen Hull (C)
Olivia Zavrel
Meredith Newman
Erin Rigney
Ally Demas