May 12, 2012

Click here to see USD's interviews after the races

GOLD RIVER, Calif. - For the third straight year, the University of San Diego Toreros captured the West Coast conference rowing championship on a warm sunshine-drenched morning at Sacramento State Aquatics Center on Lake Natoma. Gonzaga University won both the Varsity Four race and the Varsity Eight II, but San Diego edged the Bulldogs in the Varsity Eight I race to capture the WCC title. USD head coach Kim Cupini was selected the WCC Coach of the Year for the 4th straight year.

In the final point standings, San Diego and Gonzaga each finished with 39 points. By virtue of the tiebreaker procedure - results from the Varsity Eight I - the Toreros were named the WCC champions.

"It was a great day of racing that came down to the finish," said San Diego head coach Kim Cupini. "We knew Gonzaga was strong, and going in we knew we had to get the Eight to win."

Overall, Loyola Marymount University finished third with 26 points, Saint Mary's College finished fourth (24), and the University of Portland - appearing in its first WCC championship - finished fifth with 22 points. Creighton University finished sixth (12) and Santa Clara University was seventh (6).

All three races were tightly contested. Gonzaga's Varsity Four bested San Diego by 18.8 seconds to take a seven-points to sixlead with two races to go. In the Eight II race, once again the Bulldogs proved to be tough, topping San Diego by 5.6 seconds. Entering the final race of the morning, Gonzaga held a 21-18 lead over the defending champs.

The Championship title came down to the last race of the day once again, and for the third straight year, San Diego pulled through for the victory, edging Gonzaga by a mere 1.9 seconds.

"Our team motto is 'Nobody works harder than us' and it was proven out on Lake Natoma today," said senior captains Gina Schneider and Hannah Patrick. "We have proven our team to be the fastest in WCC, thanks to our hard work and commitment from all 60+ rowers. This has been an amazing four years and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to row at USD and under the direction of Kim Cupini and Guillermo Lemus."

Cupini was also named the WCC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season,while Gonzaga's Jordan Schroeder and LMU's Kellyn Friere were named Co-Coxswains of the Year by the conference's head coaches. Two new awards were handed out in 2012: Gonzaga's Naomi Medley was named Newcomer of the Year, and GU senior Paula Welly was named the conference's first-ever Rower of the Year.

Official results and a listing of the complete 2012 All-West Coast Conference Rowing Team follow.

WCC Women's Rowing Championships
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Lake Natoma (Gold River, California)

Final Standings:
San Diego, 39*
Gonzaga, 39
Loyola Marymount, 26
Saint Mary's, 24
Portland, 22
Creighton, 12
Santa Clara, 6
*San Diego wins tiebreaker by virtue of first place finish in Varsity Eight I.

I Four Race Official Results
1. Gonzaga, 7:45.8
(cox: Naseeb Bhangal; Renee Wyman; Natalie Potts; Wendy Wigg; Agatha Oleksiak)

2. San Diego, 8:04.6
(cox: Kristin Jones; Ellyan Halden; Alexis Banville; Madison Browning; Allyson Ward)

3. Portland, 8:13.7
(cox: Katelyn Freund; Kassie Meras; Camden Revell; Lucy Grimm; Amanda Marques)

4. Loyola Marymount, 8:19.4
(cox: Amanda Ballard; Jasmine Gonzalez; Dianna Safa; Stefanny Hess; Noe Vargas)

5. Saint Mary's, 8:23.2
(cox: Jessica Sin; Rachel Alvarez; Marianna Irby; Allsion McKenzie; RebeccaBeutler)

6. Creighton, 8:43.3
(cox: Shawana Watanabe; Grace Wooldridge; Tayler Davis; Kealy O'Brien; Anne Marie Stonikas)

7. Santa Clara, 8:58.7
(cox: Crystal Au; Mary Smith; Michileen Oberst; Camille Hayes; Ana Burgos-Solis)

II Eight Race Official Results
1. Gonzaga, 6:52.9
(cox: Natalie Wolfrom; Christine Powers; Erin Russell; Casey Burt; AnnaOlson; Mari Schramm; Sarah Atkins; Jordan Davies; Christi Mentele)

2. San Diego, 6:58.5
(cox: Anna Yamamoto; Jenn Travis; Caitlin Bridges; Gina Schneider; Taylor Kendzierski; Garrison Daly; Mataya Mcneil; Lauren Rollings; Michelle Elrich)

3. Loyola Marymount 7:16.6
(cox: Jen Koester; Emily Holland; Daniel Ciraulo; PK Jones; Paulina Lindstedt; Kelsey Dunbar; Ku'ulei Lake; Jill Denis; Katherine Wikholm)

4. Portland 7:19.9
(cox: Taylor Nelson; Suzanne Blair; Kayla Russell; Melissa Gomez; Karen Christiansen; Kendyl Daniels; Cloe Hussey; Lauren Mainero; Kelly Herman)

5. Saint Mary's 7:23.9
(cox: Bennett Collier; Brandynne Cho; Caitlin Evans; Kira Paulin; KatherineWahl; Nicolette Pierantoni; Alexandria Iwaszewicz; Tessa Cunha; Nathalie Lambrecht)

6. Creighton 7:41.5
(cox: Hayley Pilcher; Kathryn Mindt; Lauren Roknich; Anna Balling; Christina Moore; Shannon Flannery; Katie Dougherty; Nicole Kamada; Morgan McEnery)

7. Santa Clara 7:45.8
(cox: Rissa Yaw; Bissy Rail; Kristen Hutchison; Jessica Farran; Michelle Castro; Laura Jalaian; Margaret Mendenhall; Adrienne Lohe; Brenda Arellano)

I Eight Race Official Results
1. San Diego, 6:47.2
(cox: Kaitlin Soper; Lindsey Dornes; Hannah Patrick; Brianna Lamb; Maggie Cole; Stephanie Jegat; Courtney Olson;Taylar Albertini; Michelle Geesman)

2. Gonzaga, 6:49.1
(cox: Jordan Schroeder; Naomi Medley; Paula Welly; Elise Perkins; Chelsea Quilling; Teddi McGuire; Olivia Miller; Malori McGill; Madison Keaty)

3. Saint Mary's 6:56.6
(cox: Chelsea Serrano; Haley Adams; Michelle Felmlee-Gartner; Dana Cook; Maryann Concannon; Deanna Estes; Stacey Boss; Christina Bennett; Savina Brown)

4. Loyola Marymount 6:59.7
(cox: Kellyn Friere; Kat Regan; Leanne McNamee; Hanna Osborne; Margaret Boze; Jessica Kegel; Shannon Craig; Sydney Sutton-Lisworth; Chris Erhart)

5. Portland 7:04.8
(cox: Hannah Dahlem; Sarah Ryan; Michelle Bollinger; Ellie Ficco; Monica Kendall; Mia Tarte; Jamie Opra; Molly Donahue; Sarah Donohoe)

6. Creighton 7:17.1
(cox: Ellie Ritchey; Kayla Heimerman; Whitney Jenich; Laura Jo Washle; Christine Koehler; Alex Blomquist; Lauren Ramstead; Kim Boehm; Lauren Klick)

7. Santa Clara 7:31.8
(cox: Maggie Jones; Briana Wise; Rachel Donohoe; Megan Alferness; Katie Caudle; Amanda Lajoie; Carina Brocato; Blair Mitchell; Missi Giorgi)

2012 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Kim Cupini, San Diego

2012 West Coast Conference Co-Coxswains of the Year
Jordan Schroeder, Gonzaga
Kellyn Freire, Loyola Marymount

2012 West Coast Conference Newcomer of the Year
Naomi Medley, Gonzaga

2012 West Coast Conference Rower of the Year
Paula Welly, Gonzaga

2012 West Coast Conference All-Conference Team
Haley Adams, Saint Mary's
Shannon Craig, Loyola Marymount
Michelle Geesman, San Diego
Christine Koehler, Creighton
Hannah Patrick, San Diego
Elise Perkins, Gonzaga
Sarah Ryan, Portland
Gina Schneider, San Diego
Paula Welly, Gonzaga
Briana Wise, Santa Clara