May, 29, 2004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Bombers recorded the lowest score at the NCAA Championships, held at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, Calif., helped by a first-place finish by the varsity 8 boat in the grand final and an unprecedented performance by the second varsity 8 boat. The national title is the first for the Bomber women’s crew program; Ithaca had placed third in each of the previous two NCAA Division III championship events.
Ithaca advanced both its boats to Saturday’s grand final race; the varsity 8 won its heat on Friday to earn a spot in the grand final while the second varsity 8 boat won a repechage race (after placing fourth in its heat) to qualify for the grand final race. The Bombers’ performance marked the first time in the three years of Division III championship competition that a second varsity eight boat qualified for the grand final.
In the grand final, Ithaca’s varsity 8 boat overcame an early lead by Smith’s varsity 8 to win the race. Smith (who entered nationals as the nation’s top-ranked varsity 8) held the lead at the quarter, halfway and three-quarter marks of the race, leading the Bombers by over a second. Ithaca, who stood third at the one-quarter mark, took the lead in the race’s final 500 meters, posting a winning time of 7:00.80. Smith followed in 7:00.90, with the varsity 8 boat from Williams third in 7:02.30. The varsity 8 boats from Puget Sound and Coast Guard placed fourth and fifth with respective times of 7:03.40 and 7:05.40. Ithaca’s second varsity 8 boat placed sixth in 7:07.10.
In Friday’s competition, Ithaca’s varsity 8 won its heat to qualify for the grand final. The Bombers trailed throughout the race before pulling ahead in the final quarter of the race, posting a winning time of 7:14.50. The varsity 8 from Trinity (Conn.) placed second in 7:16.20, with Williams’ varsity 8 third in 7:17.90.
Friday’s second heat saw the Ithaca second varsity 8 boat place fourth in 7:34.50, trailing three varsity 8 boats (Smith, who advanced to the grand final with a winning time of 7:11,16, Puget Sound in 7:12.66 and Coast Guard in 7:28.57). The Bombers then moved into Friday’s repechage round, which determined the other four boats to qualify for the grand final. Ithaca trailed Coast Guard’s varsity 8 throughout the race, but edged Coast Guard (7:59.00 to 7:59.40) to win the race and advance to the grand final. In the three years that the NCAA has conducted a Division III national championship event, the Bombers are the only second varsity 8 to reach the grand final.
The petite final, which determines places seven through 12, was won by Trinity’s varsity 8 (Ithaca’s second varsity 8 had won the 2003 petite final). Following the race, Ithaca’s varsity 8 needed to finish first or second to clinch the overall national title.
The Bombers were making their sixth appearance in the NCAA Rowing Championship, which was first contested in 1997. That year Ithaca's entry -- a women's four -- placed 10th of 16 teams. A year later, Ithaca qualified a varsity eight for the national championship. That event was also held at Lake Lanier. In 2001 the Bombers competed at the NCAA Championships for the third time. Two years ago Ithaca competed in the NCAA's first Division III Rowing Championship (the previous national championship events had included schools from all three divisions) and the Bombers tied for third.
The Bombers' varsity 8 posted an undefeated regular season for the first time ever. The boat was made up of senior coxswain Catherine Gloo, senior stroke Leslie Nichols, sophomore seventh seat Heather Luke, sophomore sixth seat Stacey Bowen, sophomore fifth seat Stephanie Knabe, junior fourth seat Meghan Musnicki, junior third seat Jess Selock, senior second seat Nora Lahr and junior bow Jill Moler.
The second varsity 8, which did not lose to another boat all year until the NCAA Championships (and never lost to a second varsity 8 entry), posted a second straight gold-medal performance at the ECAC championship. The boat was made up of senior coxswain Jess Doolittle, junior stroke Kristin Keller, junior seventh seat Trinity Bigford, sophomore sixth seat Emma Flemer, junior fifth seat Robyn McCann, senior fourth seat Apryl Seeley, sophomore third seat Sarah Kuebler, junior second seat Jacy McFall and junior bow Allyson Benvenuti.
Team Scoring
| Place |
School |
V8 |
2V8 |
Total |
| 1. |
Ithaca |
1 |
6 |
7 |
| 2. |
Smith |
2 |
8 |
10 |
| 3. |
Williams |
3 |
10 |
13 |
| 4. |
Puget Sound |
4 |
9 |
13 |
| 5. |
Coast Guard |
5 |
12 |
17 |
| 6. |
Trinity (Conn.) |
7 |
11 |
18 |
