April 7, 2005

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University men's and women's rowing teams make their only home appearance of the season Saturday, taking on NCAA Division I Gonzaga University in a dual meet at Lake Samish, beginning at 9:50 a.m.

The eight-race schedule will be highlighted by the women's and men's eights at 11:40 a.m. and 11:50 a.m., respectively. The winner of each race gets the Blue Cup trophy, presented for the first time in the rivalry, which dates back to 1998.

The Western women's eight, ranked No.1 nationally in the latest USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Poll, lost by just .40 seconds to Gonzaga last week at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Invitational Regatta. That was after the Vikings had started the day by soundly beating two nationally ranked Division II squads.

The Western women have placed among the top three in each of the last three years at the NCAA Division II National Championships, finishing second twice and third once. Gonzaga has won the last nine West Coast Conference titles.

The Gonzaga men are favored in every race against a young Viking squad. Last week, the Bulldogs placed third in the Cal Cup Grand Final at the San Diego Classic. They have had top three finishes the last three years at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships.

During one five-year stretch from 1998 to 2002, Western won the men's varsity eight race four times.

Last year, Gonzaga won nine of 10 races at Medical Lake, Western's lone victory coming in the men's varsity four.

THE BLUE CUP
Western Washington vs. Gonzaga
Lake Samish - Bellingham, Wash.
Race Schedule:

9:50 a.m.  Men's Varsity 4
10:00 a.m. Women's Varsity 4
10:10 a.m. Men's Novice 8
10:20 a.m. Women's Novice 8
11:20 a.m.  Men's Second Varsity 8
11:30 a.m. Women's Second Varsity 8
11:40 a.m. Men's Varsity 8 - Blue Cup
11:50 a.m. Women's Varsity 8 - Blue Cup
12:30 Blue Cup trophy presentation at Lutherwood near docks

Lineups:

Western Washington

Men's Varsity 4 - Coxswain Brittany Poirson (So., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Stephen Carlson (Sr., Suquamish/North Kitsap/Olympic CC), No.3 Jarrod Eckhout (Fr., Fall City/Colorado Timberline Academy), No.2 Paul Hoover (Fr., Tacoma/Decatur), bow Jason Merrifield (Fr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale)

Women's Varsity 4 - Coxswain Coree Naslund (Jr., University/Curtis), stroke Katie Fadden (Jr., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.3 Quinn Sanford (Sr., Olympia/Capital/Cottey JC NV), No.2 Courtney Moeller (Sr., Renton/Liberty, bow Sarah Yerkan (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap/Olympic CC)

Men's 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 Chris Ippolito (Fr., Fall City/Mount Si), bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way)

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

Women's Novice 8 (B) - Coxswain Robin Fitzpatrick (Fr., Mukilteo/Kamiak), stroke Michelle Gilluly (Fr., Issaquah/Bellevue CC), No.7 Mary Burchard (Fr., Okanogan), 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 Kaitlyn Harun (Fr., Camano Island/Stanwood) No.2 Megan Marquett (So., Shelton/South Puget Sound CC), bow Anika Ahmed (Fr., Bothell)

Men's Second Varsity 8 - Coxswain Brittany Poirson (So., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Nate Pedersen (Jr., Peaks Island, ME/Portland), No.7 Kevin Cumming (So., Woodinville), No.6 Chris Ippolito (Fr., Fall City/Mount Si), No.5 Jonathan McLain (Jr., Quincy/Big Bend CC), No.4 Paul Hoover (Fr., Tacoma/Decatur), No.3 Jason Merrifield (Fr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale), No.2 bow Jarrod Eckhout (Fr., Fall City, WA/Colorado Timberline Academy), bow Stephen Carlson (Sr., Suquamish/North Kitsap/Olympic CC)

Women's Second Varsity 8 - Coxswain Elisabeth Johnson (Jr., Seattle/Franklin), 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)

Men's Varsity 8 - Coxswain Austin Jenkins (Sr., Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), stroke Blake Herrington (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), 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 stroke Andy Foltz (Jr., Sumner) and bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way)

Women's 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)

Western Washington Coaching Staff:

Western Rowing Program Director; John Fuchs Men: Martin Sauvage; Head Coach, Josh Griesse; Assistant Coach Women: John Fuchs; Head coach, Karla Landis; Assistant Coach

Gonzaga

Men's Varsity 4 - Coxswain Mara Oblak, stroke Matt White, No.3 Sean Haase, No.2 Rob Holland, bow Chris Pay

Women's Varsity 4 - Coxswain Mimi Refuerzo, stroke Liz Sambach, No.3 Julie Smetana, No.2 Grace Wallance, bow Kelsey Raap

Men's Novice 8 - Coxswain Dana Skoog, stroke Joe Dudley, No.7 Warren North, No.6 Scott McCoy, No.5 Brett Bossevain, No.4 Ben Rosenblatt, No.3 Mike Smoot, No.2 Drew Smith, bow Drew Hastings

Women's Novice 8 - Coxswain Joan Aubry, stroke Whitney Patrick, No.7 Kelsey Koenig, No.6 Cory Nelson, No.5 Stephanie Murphy, No.4 Courtney Haia, No.3 Cherami Cadwell, No.2 Sarah Amatuzio, bow Kathryn Kocarnik

Men's Second Varsity 8 - Coxswain Elaine Parry, stroke Ben Rosenblatt, No.7 Mike Smoot, No.6 Matt Wernette, No.5 Derek Clemmensen, No.4 Matt White, No.3 Brett Bossevain, No.2 Drew Smith, bow Drew Hastings

Women's Second Varsity 8 (A) - Coxswain Joan Aubry, stroke Mariah Smith-Miloff, No.7 Kelsey Koenig, No.6 Teresa Archuleta, No.5 Heather Jewell, No.4 Courtney Haia, No.3 Stephanie Murphy, No.2 Julie Smetana, bow Kathryn Kocarnik

Women's Second Varsity 8 (B) - Coxswain Kris Lund, stroke Whitney Patrick, No.7 Brittany Price, No.6 Jennifer Pierce, No.5 Michelle McMullen, No.4 Rebecca Podegracz, No.3 Ann Parker, No.2 Allison Ulman, bow Jessica Uphoff

Men's Varsity 8 - Coxswain Lauren Gadeken, stroke Connor Barry, No.7 Pat Haffey, No.6 Scott McCoy, No.5 Nathan Wilson, No.4 Ben Foley,No.3 David Hinshaw, No.2 Joe Dudley, bow Warren North

Women's Varsity 8 - Coxswain Erin Palmiter, stroke Kari Durgan, No.7 Sarah Allison, No.6 Cory Nelson, No.5 Jessica Kocarnik, No.4 Jenni Cooper, No.3 Karen O'Hagan, No.2 Nicole Aadland-Lewis, bow Carolyn Schepper

Gonzaga Coaching Staff:

Gonzaga Rowing Program Director: Dan Gehn Men: Dan Gehn; Head Coach, Shawn Bagnall; Assistant Coach Women: Glenn Putrae; Head Coach, Sandy Calfo and Melissa Flint; Assistants