Kansas Wins One at SMU

DALLAS – Weather conditions didn’t cooperate well with Kansas rowing on Saturday as the Jayhawks were unable to race each of their boats in the SMU regatta. Windy conditions forced the event to scrap the First and Second Varsity four competitions, but the Jayhawks made the most of their three other events on the day.

Kansas opened the morning in the First Varsity Eight race against SMU finishing in second place with a time of 7:44.4. On the boat for Kansas were seniors Julia Alvey, Brooke Thuston and Claudijah Lever juniors Maggie Duncan, coxswain Mary Slattery and Tessa Scott sophomores Olivia Loney, Allison Schaaf and Maddie Irelan.

“The water went from bad and choppy to terrible and choppy throughout the morning,” Kansas head coach Rob Catloth explained. “Our First Varsity Eight just didn’t handle the conditions very well and SMU give them credit they handled it better than we did.”

Up next for KU was the Second Varsity Eight where the Jayhawks would claim first place winning the race by over seven seconds. Kansas crossed the finish line with a time of 8:09.64. Leading KU to victory was seniors Jennifer Hartzler and Alexa Fowlkes sophomores Lexie Lanphere, coxswain Kenzie Obrochta, Margret Winter, Jordan Helms and Katherine Young freshman BriAnna Dittberner and Kaelyn Thierolf.

“They did a really good job today for us,” Catloth said. “They’ve been really improving in practice and handled the wind conditions pretty well.”

Closing out the morning competition was the Third Varsity Eight race where Kansas finished in second place behind Texas. KU ended with a time of 7:55.5, earning second were seniors Erin Brogan and Kristen Byrd juniors Jackie Adamle, coxswain Briana Pina and Margaret Hornick sophomores Emily Ruble and Bailey Brandon freshman Caitlin McNulty and Ally Fullerton.

Up next for the Jayhawks will be a trip to West Windsor, New Jersey to compete in the prestigious Knecht Cup on April 11-12.

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Complete Kansas Results

First Varsity Eight – 7:44.4 (2nd)
Mary Slattery – Coxswain
Maggie Duncan
Brooke Thuston
Claudijah Lever
Olivia Loney
Tessa Scott
Allison Schaaf
Julia Alvey
Maddie Irelan

Second Varsity Eight – 8:09.64 (1st)
Kenzie Obrochta – Coxswain
Jennifer Hartzler
Lexie Lanphere
Alexa Fowlkes
BriAnna Dittberner
Kaelyn Thierolf
Margret Winter
Jordan Helms
Katherine Young

Third Varsity Eight – 7:55.5 (2nd)
Briana Pina – Coxswain
Caitlin McNulty
Erin Brogan
Jackie Adamle
Emily Ruble
Margaret Hornick
Ally Fullerton
Kristen Byrd
Bailey Brandon