women's crew News - July, 2009 Archive

May 30: The St. Lawrence University women's crew team completed competition on Saturday morning at the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships. The Saints' varsity eight boat finished in second place in the Division III Petite Final with a time of 6:51.75.

May 29: The St. Lawrence University women's crew team began competition at the 2009 NCAA Women's Rowing Championships on Friday in Camden, NJ. Meanwhile, the Liberty League also announced its annual award winners on Friday, and the Saints' varsity eight boat was named the conference's Crew of the Year and head coach Nick Hughes and his staff were named the Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season.

The Scarlet and Brown's varsity boat (left) competed in the opening heat of the championships at 8:00am on Friday morning. Despite falling behind in the opening 500m, the Saints were able to close the gap with Smith in the middle stages of the race. However, with Williams winning with a time of 7:04.30, Smith was able to hold off St. Lawrence by a narrow .2 second margin, leaving the Saints in third place having been clocked in at 7:22.40 in the 2000m race.

The third place finish landed the varsity eight boat in the afternoon's Grand Qualifier having defeated Ithaca's and Puget Sound's JV boats.

In the Grand Qualifier, the Saints raced in a time of 7:01.42 and finished in fourth position, one spot out of the Grand Final. Williams' JV boat won the Grand Qualifier with a time of 6:46.27, with Ithaca and Puget Sound finishing second and third, respectively. This time, St. Lawrence narrowly edged out Smith by 1.5 seconds and topped Trinity's JV boat handedly. The Scarlet and Brown will compete in the Petite Final on Saturday at 11:15am.

May 28: Sophomore Elizabeth Stokes-Cawley has been named a Division III Pocock First Team All-America by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA). The Skaneateles, NY native is the first All-America in the St. Lawrence University women's crew program's history.

"Elizabeth (Stokes-Cawley) is an athlete of great natural ability," remarked St. Lawrence head coach and director of rowing, Nick Hughes. "Even as a novice oarswoman, her rowing stroke seemed to have a certain effortless ease. Her confidence is as steady and sure as her stroke, and it was this poise that earned her a seat in the Varsity women's eight in both of her first two years of rowing."

Joining Stokes-Cawley as First Team All-Americas are Hilary Andrus (Willamette University), Natalie Jones (Trinity), Katie O'Driscoll (Ithaca), Nicole Ritchie (Bates), Katherine Robinson (Williams), Sam Smith (Williams), Eliza Van Lennep (Smith College) and Allison Prevatt (Williams).

Meanwhile, four members of the St. Lawrence University women's crew team earned CRCA National Scholar-Athlete status for their outstanding efforts both in rowing and in the classroom. Those student-athletes recognized include senior Michelle Hicks, juniors Amelia Bell and Tara Hetz and sophomore Lauren Reed. To be considered for the National Scholar-Athlete honor, students had a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher for their careers.

May 12: The NCAA announced the field for the 2009 NCAA Division III NCAA Championships Tuesday afternoon, and for the second year in a row, the St. Lawrence University women's crew team was one of seven squads to earn a bid into the event.

The Scarlet and Brown, the lone Liberty League entry in this year's championship, will be joined by Bates, Ithaca, Puget Sound, Smith, Trinity and Williams. Washington and Willamette were the two at-large bids this year.

The Saints' women's varsity eight has had another successful campaign this year, claiming the Liberty League crown once again. The women's second varsity crew had a solid row in the heats at the ECAC Invitational this past weekend, defeating William Smith, who had previously won when they two met more than a week ago in Whitney Point, NY at the New York State Championships.

The event, hosted by Villanova University, will be held in Camden, NJ on the Cooper River May 29-31, 2009. The venue is familiar to the Saints, as they competed there this past weekend at the ECAC Invitational.

May 10: The St. Lawrence University women's crew team was more than ready to compete with many of the top crews in the country over the weekend, but high winds suspended racing indefinitely mid-morning on Sunday, forcing the cancellation of the remainder of the 2009 ECAC Championships in Camden, NJ.

On Saturday, the Saints' nationally-ranked women's varsity eight crew earned a second place finish in the second of four heats in the event, coming in behind No. 2 Bates, who finished first with a time of 6:46.62. St. Lawrence came in at 6:54.95, defeating Mt. Holyoke, Mary Washington, and Franklin and Marshall.

Their efforts earned them a spot in the semifinals Sunday morning, where they rowed in the first heat. The Scarlet and Brown placed fourth, as No. 1 Williams took top honors, while Trinity and the University of New Hampshire tied for second. St. Lawrence beat crews from both Simmons and Wellesley to earn a lane in the event's Petite Final, which was eventually cancelled along with the remainder of the day's races.

The boat included junior Amelia Lalley (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca), senior Allie Friedman (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary), junior Amelia Bell (Portland, OR/Grant), junior Briana Kehl (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna), sophomore Lizzie Stokes-Cawley (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles), senior Michelle Hicks (Austin, TX/St. Stephen's Episcopal) junior Eloise Lachance (Philmont, NY/Taconic Hills), junior Jane Connolly (New Canaan, CT/New Canaan) and sophomore coxswain Lauren Reed (Cortland, NY/Cortland).

May 3: The No .6 St. Lawrence University women's crew team earned their second consecutive Liberty League title Sunday morning at the 2009 New York State Championships after the women's varsity eight crew rowed to a second place finish in the 2,000-meter piece in Whitney Point, NY.

In the Grand Final, the Saints, who were most recently ranked sixth in the country, finished with a time of 7:05.51, behind No. 4 Ithaca (6:56.91), who took home the gold medal. The Scarlet and Brown held off a tough Rochester crew (7:07.21), while the next closest conference opponent, Skidmore, took fourth place (7:09.39), only a few hundredths ahead of William Smith (7:09.56). The highest placing Liberty League finisher in the Varsity 8 event earned the 2009 conference title after the Liberty League Championships were suspended last weekend due to conditions.

The boat included junior Amelia Lalley (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca), senior Allie Friedman (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary), junior Amelia Bell (Portland, OR/Grant), junior Briana Kehl (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna), sophomore Lizzie Stokes-Cawley (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles), senior Michelle Hicks (Austin, TX/St. Stephen's Episcopal) junior Eloise Lachance (Philmont, NY/Taconic Hills), junior Jane Connolly (New Canaan, CT/New Canaan) and sophomore coxswain Lauren Reed (Cortland, NY/Cortland).

May 2: The No .6 St. Lawrence University women's varsity eight crew continued their winning ways on Saturday, taking top honors in their heat at the 2009 New York State Championships, earning a lane in the Grand Final on Sunday to pace the Saints on Day 1 of the regatta in Whitney Point, NY.

Course conditions were windy, creating considerable chop and bad water throughout most of the day, but the Scarlet and Brown persevered in the Women's Varsity 8 event, handily defeating Liberty League foe William Smith by seven seconds with a time of 6:59.30, while the Herons crossed the finish line at 7:06.45. Hamilton (7:10.68), Army (7:21.30) Stony Brook (7:51.30) and Cazenovia (8:06.35) also raced in the heat. The Grand Final will include Ithaca, William Smith, Hamilton, Skidmore and Rochester.

The boat included junior Amelia Lalley (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca), senior Allie Friedman (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary), junior Amelia Bell (Portland, OR/Grant), junior Briana Kehl (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna), sophomore Lizzie Stokes-Cawley (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles), senior Michelle Hicks (Austin, TX/St. Stephen's Episcopal) junior Eloise Lachance (Philmont, NY/Taconic Hills), junior Jane Connolly (New Canaan, CT/New Canaan) and sophomore coxswain Lauren Reed (Cortland, NY/Cortland).

Apr. 25: The 2009 Liberty League Rowing Championships, hosted by St. Lawrence University, were indefinitely suspended Saturday morning after wind caused unsafe course conditions in the last 1,000 meters of the 2,000 meter course on the St. Lawrence River in Waddington, NY.

A Southwest wind of 15 mph and gusts of over 30 mph began affecting the course shortly after 9:00am, creating extremely treacherous conditions. The last successful race was the first heat of the Women's Novice 8 event.
Three full races were able to finish their respective pieces, including the heats of the Women's Varsity 8 and the Men's Varsity 8, as well as the Men's Novice 8.

In the first event of the day, St. Lawrence University's Women's Varsity 8 crew defeated Vassar College in the first of two heats in the event, crossing the finish line with a time of 6:09.7, while the Brewers finished at 6:38.9. William Smith College then took top honors in the second heat with a time of 6:09.5, while Skidmore placed second at 6:18.5.

In the Men's Varsity 8 heats, Hobart's Varsity crew defeated their JV crew as well as Vassar's entry with a time of 5:27.8. The Statesmen's second entry clocked in at 5:33.4, while the Brewers completed the race with a time of 5:40.2. The second heat included St. Lawrence University and Union College, who battled throughout with the Saints finishing just ahead of the Dutchmen in a time of 5:35.2, while Union crossed at 5:36.5.

Apr. 19: In preparations for next weekend's Liberty League Championships, the St. Lawrence University women's crew team competed with conference opponents Union and Skidmore Colleges on Sunday afternoon, with the Scarlet and Brown prevailing in each of their races on the Mohawk River in Schenectady, NY.

In the first race of the morning for the Saints, the team's third varsity boat raced in the Women's Novice Eight race, taking first place with a time of 7:08, while Union placed second (7:17) and Skidmore clocked in third (7:45).

In the Saints' crew was junior Erin Hussey (Biddeford, ME/Biddeford), sophomore Maggie Weiner (Baltimore, MD/Bryn Mawr), rookie Hannah Brubaker (Lambertville, NY/Hunterdon Central), sophomore Catie LaPage (Cumberland, ME/Greely), junior Corrie Mersereau (Corinth, NY/The King's School), rookie Liz Weber (Kearsarge, NH/Kennett), sophomore Britne Tyler (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary), rookie Jeannine Condon (Ashfield, MA/Mohawk Trail Regional) and rookie coxswain Nicole Carnevale (Cranston, RI/Cranston H.S. West).

The Women's Varsity Eight race also belonged to St. Lawrence, who defeated Skidmore by ten seconds with a time of 6:34, while the Thoroughbreds raced to a time of 6:44. Union came in more than 30 seconds later with a time of 7:16. The Saints are currently ranked ninth according to the most recent USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division III Varsity Eight Coaches Poll and are the highest ranked crew in the Liberty League.

Apr. 18: The St. Lawrence University women's crew team enjoyed a successful day Saturday afternoon, as the Saints won each of their four races against Hamilton College as the two teams faced off on the Erie Canal in Rome, NY.

In the Women's Varsity Eight race, the Saints, who were most recently ranked ninth in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division III Varsity Eight Coaches Poll, won the 2,000-meter piece with a time of 6:52.2, while Hamilton clocked in just over 14 seconds later with a time of 7:04.7.

St. Lawrence's 1V included junior Amelia Lalley (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca), senior Allie Friedman (Buffalo, NY/Buffalo Seminary), junior Amelia Bell (Portland, OR/Grant), junior Briana Kehl (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna), sophomore Lizzie Stokes-Cawley (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles), senior Michelle Hicks (Austin, TX/St. Stephen's Episcopal) junior Eloise Lachance (Philmont, NY/Taconic Hills), junior Jane Connolly (New Canaan, CT/New Canaan) and sophomore coxswain Lauren Reed (Cortland, NY/Cortland).

The Scarlet and Brown were able to pull out a close win over the Continentals in the Women's Third Varsity Eight/Novice Eight race, as St. Lawrence clocked in just one-one hundredth ahead of Hamilton, finishing with a time of 7:17.08, while Hamilton came in at 7:17.09.