March 26, 2005

TACOMA, Wash. - The Western Washington University women's rowing team opened its season by winning three races and placing second in another Saturday at the Daffodil Regatta on American Lake.

The Vikings' varsity eight, ranked No.2 nationally in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Preseason Poll, won by 4.50 seconds over runner-up and host Puget Sound, rated No.9 in Division III. Western was clocked in 8:02.31 over the 2,000-meter course, followed by the Loggers (8:06.81), Lewis & Clark OR (8:17.51) and Pacific Lutheran (8:32.11).

Seated in the varsity eight for Western were coxswain Krissy Whaley (Woodinville), stroke Julia Gamache (Jr., Seattle/Blanchet), No.7 Staci Reynolds (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.6 Lindsay Mann-King (So., Colville), No.5 Kailyn McGrath (Jr., Fillmore, CA/Villanova Prep), No.4 Metta Gilbert (Fr., Helena, MT), No.3 Gail Lumsden (Sr., Everett/Mariner), No.2 Amelia Whitcomb (Fr., Spokane/Ferris) and bow Stephanie Parker (So., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck).

Last year, Western's varsity eight, ranked No.1 in the preseason poll, placed fourth to open the season at the Daffodil Regatta.

"Three firsts and a second isn't bad," said Western program coordinator and women's coach John Fuchs. "It's a really good start for us. I was very pleased with how they finished all the races. They were really strong in the end and handled the water conditions well."

The Vikings' second varsity eight won by over 27 seconds and the novice eight was victorious by over 47 seconds, Puget Sound finishing second in both of those races. The Loggers took the junior varsity eight race by 6.90 seconds over Western.

The lineup for Western's second varsity eight shell, which was clocked in 8:43.37, included coxswain Coree Naslund (Jr., University Place/Curtis), stroke Katie Fadden (Jr., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.7 Samantha Marikis (Fr., Republic), No.6 Courtney Moeller (Sr., Renton/Liberty), No.5 Jordon Tobler (Fr., Langley/South Whidbey), No.4 Katrina Anderson (Jr., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage), No.3 Alyssa Thornley (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak), No.2 Tanya Kaufman (Fr., San Anselmo, CA/Sir Francis Drake) and bow Quinn Sanford (Sr., Olympia/Capital/Cottey JC NV)

The Vikings' winning novice eight boat, timed in 7:59.70, was composed of coxswain Elisabeth Johnson (Jr., Seattle/Franklin), stroke Amelia Whitcom (Fr., Spokane/Ferris), No.7 Samantha Marikis (Fr., Republic), No.6 Metta Gilbert (Fr., Helena, MT), No.5 Jordan Tobler (Fr., Langley/South Whidbey), No.4 Tanya Kaufman (Fr., San Anselmo, CA/Sir Francis Drake), No.3 Alyssa Thornley (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak), No.2 Sarah Fletcher (Fr., Port Townsend/Sequim) and bow Staci Reynolds (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River)

The Western men's novice eight also won with a clocking of 7:26.40, edging Puget Sound by 3.96 seconds, with Lewis & Clark third (7:32.05), Washington State-A fourth (7:32.20) and Washington State-B fifth (8:19.05).

Seated in that winning shell for the Vikings were coxswain Amber Jacobs (Fr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), stroke Blake Herrington (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.7 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.6 Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), No.5 David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.4 Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), No.3 Jonathan McLain (Jr., Quincy/Big Bend CC), No.2 Danny Buckley (Fr., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley) and bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way).

The Western men placed fourth in the varsity eight, junior varsity eight and novice four races, and finished fifth in the junior varsity four run.

"We always want to do better," said Western men's coach Marty Sauvage, "but they had a long, hard week of practice and they're still learning how to race. The novice boat did a good job, pulling out that race in the last 500 meters, so that was a good experience for them."

The Vikings compete in the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Invitational on Saturday (Apr. 2) at Vancouver, Wash. (Vancouver Lake).

Daffodil Regatta Results - Tacoma, Wash. (American Lake)

Women

Varsity 8 - 1. Western Washington 8:02.31, 2. Puget Sound 8:06.81, 3. Lewis & Clark 8:17.51, 4. Pacific Lutheran 8:32.11

Junior Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:43.60, 2. Western Washington 7:50.50, 3. Lewis & Clark-A 7:51.48, 4. Pacific Lutheran 8:10.25, 5. Lewis & Clark-B 8:23.35

2nd Varsity 8 - 1. Western Washington 8:43.37, 2. Puget Sound 9:11.03, 3. Pacific Lutheran 9:18.28

Novice 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:59.70, 2. Puget Sound 8:07.40, 3. Pacific Lutheran 8:07.91, 4. Lewis & Clark 9:08.97, 5. Evergreen 9:38.50

Men

Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 7:03.10, 2. Washington State 7:11.0, 3. Lewis & Clark 7:25.40, 4. Western Washington 7:26.86, 5. Pacific Lutheran 8:21.50

Junior Varsity 8 - 1. Puget Sound 6:33.75, 2. Washington State 6:42.28, 3. Lewis & Clark 7:05.34, 4. Western Washington 7:11.55

Junior Varsity 4 - 1. Puget Sound 8:08.70, 2. Washington State-A 8:23.89, 3. Pacific Lutheran 8:26.71, 4. Washington State-B 8:34.06, 5. Western Washington 9:06.11

Novice 8 - 1. Western Washington 7:26.40, 2. Puget Sound 7:30.36, 3. Lewis & Clark 7:32.05, 4. Washington State-A 7:32.20, 5. Washington State-B 8:19.05

Novice 4 - 1. Puget Sound 8:31.20, 2. Lewis & Clark 8:49.96, 3. Washington State-A 9:02.16, 4. Western Washington 9:12.90, 5. Seattle Pacific 9:26.79, 6. Washington State-B 9:32.26

Lineups:

Women

Varsity 8 - coxswain Krissy Whaley (Woodinville), stroke Julia Gamache (Jr., Seattle/Blanchet), No.7 Staci Reynolds (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.6 Lindsay Mann-King (So., Colville), No.5 Kailyn McGrath (Jr., Fillmore, CA/Villanova Prep), No.4 Metta Gilbert (Fr., Helena, MT), No.3 Gail Lumsden (Sr., Everett/Mariner), No.2 Amelia Whitcomb (Fr., Spokane/Ferris), bow Stephanie Parker (So., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck)

2nd Varsity 8 - coxswain Coree Naslund (Jr., University Place/Curtis), stroke Katie Fadden (Jr., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.7 Samantha Marikis (Fr., Republic), No.6 Courtney Moeller (Sr., Renton/Liberty), No.5 Jordon Tobler (Fr., Langley/South Whidbey), No.4 Katrina Anderson (Jr., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage), No.3 Alyssa Thornley (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak), No.2 Tanya Kaufman (Fr., San Anselmo, CA/Sir Francis Drake), bow Quinn Sanford (Sr., Olympia/Capital/Cottey JC NV)

Novice 8 - coxswain Elisabeth Johnson (Jr., Seattle/Franklin), stroke Amelia Whitcom (Fr., Spokane/Ferris), No.7 Samantha Marikis (Fr., Republic), No.6 Metta Gilbert (Fr., Helena, MT), No.5 Jordan Tobler (Fr., Langley/South Whidbey), No.4 Tanya Kaufman (Fr., San Anselmo, CA/Sir Francis Drake), No.3 Alyssa Thornley (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak), No.2 Sarah Fletcher (Fr., Port Townsend/Sequim), bow Staci Reynolds (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River)

2nd Novice 8 - coxswain Robin Fitzpatrick (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak), stroke Michelle Gilluly (Fr., Issaquah/Bellevue CC), No.7 Kaitlyn Harun (Fr., Camano Island/Stanwood), No.6 Elise Santini (Fr., Oregon City), No.5 Katie Saelens (Fr., Clinton/South Whidbey/Edmonds CC), No.4 Mandy Brassfield (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service/Alaska Pacific), No.3 Sarah Yerkan (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap), No.2 Megan Marquett (So., Shelton/South Puget Sound CC), bow Anika Ahmed (Fr., Bothell)

Men

Varsity 8 - Coxswain Austin Jenkins (Sr., Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), stroke Andy Foltz (Jr., Sumner), No.7 Phil DuBois (Sr., Olympia/Capital), No.6 Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), No.5 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.4 Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), No.3 David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.2 Nate Pedersen (Jr., Peaks Island, ME/Portland) and bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way)

Junior Varsity 8 - Coxswain Brittany Poirson (So., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Blake Herrington (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.7 Kevin Cumming (So., Woodinville), No.6 Danny Buckley (Fr., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley), No.5 Jonathan McLain (Jr., Quincy/Big Bend CC), No.4 Chris Ippolito (Fr., Fall City/Mount Si), No.3 Jason Merrifield (Fr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale), No.2 Paul Hoover (Fr., Tacoma/Decatur), bow Jarrod Eckhout (Fr., Fall City, WA/Colorado Timberline Academy)

Novice 8 - Coxswain Amber Jacobs (Fr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), stroke Blake Herrington (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.7 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.6 Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), No.5 David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.4 Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), No.3 Jonathan McLain (Jr., Quincy/Big Bend CC), No.2 Danny Buckley (Fr., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley), bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way)

Novice 4 - Coxswain Amber Jacobs (Fr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), stroke Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), No.3 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.2 Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), bow David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood)

Junior Varsity 4 - Coxswain Brittany Poirson (So., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Chris Ippolito (Fr., Fall City/Mount Si), No.3 Kevin Cumming (So., Woodinville), No.2 Paul Hoover (Fr., Tacoma/Decatur), bow Stephen Carlson (Sr., Suquamish/North Kitsap/Olympic CC)