STORY COURTESY AAC | PHOTO AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE/JOE HOWELL
To continue reading…
This article is exclusively for Rowing News subscribers. For as little as $5 a month, you can get access to the best quality, independent reporting on all the issues that matter to the North American rowing community.
Already a subscriber? Login
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – SMU won all four races at the 2023 American Athletic Conference Women’s Rowing Championship and captured the team title for the third consecutive season Sunday, May 14 on Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
The Mustangs finished with 168 points to finish first, while Tulsa placed second with 140. UCF was third with 112 points, followed by Temple (108), Sacramento State (72) and Old Dominion (48).
The SMU Varsity 8 won in a time of 6:20.622, over 10 seconds ahead of Tulsa in 6:31.281. Temple finished third in 6:36.528. The SMU crew consisted of Gracie Condon, Daisy Butterworth, Emily Baker, Nicole Campbell, Alice Fahey, Sarah Abrams, Megan Hewison, Meg Flannagan and coxswain Sasha Radovanovic. It was the first time Temple has medaled in the event since 2016.
In the Second Varsity 8 race, the Mustang crew of Grace Knudson, Claire Murphy, Sydney Suntrup, Hannah Richardson, Allison Lea, Amy Salesky, Victoria Franklin, Sophie Hill and coxswain Kate Hadley crossed the line first in 6:29.220, over 18 seconds ahead of second-place Tulsa (6:47.948). UCF placed third in a time of 6:51.390.
SMU won the Varsity 4 in a time of 7:20.347. UCF finished second in 7:29.182, ahead of third-place Tulsa (7:35.293). The Mustang crew consisted of Laura Purvis, Anne Ensley, Elena Muir, Jamie Mayberry and coxswain Alexandra Taylor.
The SMU Second Varsity 4 crew of Channing Taner, Ellie Lewis, Sarah Wood, Lauren Bilafer and coxswain Josephine Wilson won the first race of the day in 7:31.057. Tulsa placed second in 7:40.525, just ahead of UCF in 7:40.894.
SMU’s coaching staff, led by head coach Kim Cupini, was named the American Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year.
With the conference win, SMU automatically qualifies for the NCAA Championship, to be held May 26-28 at Camden County Boathouse in Pennsauken, New Jersey. The selection show for the national regatta takes place Tuesday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on NCAA.com.
2023 American Athletic Conference Women’s Rowing Championship Results
1
SMU
168
2
Tulsa
140
3
UCF
112
4
Temple
108
5
Sacramento State
72
6
Old Dominion
48
Coaching Staff of the Year
SMU
First-Team All-Conference
Emma Leavens, UCF
Sofia Bespalova, Old Dominion
Sydnie Bain, Sacramento State
Emily Baker, SMU
Daisy Butterworth, SMU
Alice Fahey, SMU
Megan Hewison, SMU
Sasha Radvanovic, SMU
Gemma Wollenschaeger, Temple
Isabella Musollino, Tulsa
Anna Shaw, Tulsa
Second-Team All-Conference
Anna Kayser Gallego, UCF
Emily Puia, UCF
Deanna Frack, Sacramento State
Victoria Franklin, SMU
Kate Hadley, SMU
Sydney Suntrup, SMU
Olivia Elliott, Temple
Maggie Page, Temple
Emily Bell, Tulsa
Johanna Kristof, Tulsa
Karen Undset, Tulsa
