Willamette's WJV8+ Reaches Petite Final at WIRA Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- The Willamette University women's junior varsity 8+ advanced to the Petite Final for NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and club teams as a result of its time in the preliminary heats at the 2016 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championship Regatta on Saturday, April 30 at Lake Natoma. In addition, the WU women's novice 4+ took third place in its heat and was 10th out of 18 boats overall.

High winds on Saturday of 20 to 25 miles per hour, with gusts up to 40 miles per hour, impacted the schedule for the regatta. The weather conditions forced the preliminary heats of the women's varsity 8+ for D2/D3/Clubs to be moved to Sunday. It also forced the cancelation of finals in the WN4+, which could not be rescheduled. The Petite Final in the WV8+ for D3/D3/Clubs will be held on Sunday.

Willamette's WJV8+ competed in the second of two heats and took fourth place out of five boats. University of California, San Diego won the heat in 7:31.9, while Pacific Lutheran University was second in 7:37.4. University of Puget Sound took third place in 7:51.0, followed by Willamette at 8:03.7. Mills College (Calif.) was fifth in 8:30.0.

The crew for Willamette in the women's junior varsity 8+ included coxswain Laura Polkinghorn (Fr., Camino, CA/El Dorado HS). Rowers for the WJV8+ were Natalie Branch (Fr., Cupertino, California/Homestead HS) at stroke, Allison Davies (Fr., Oceanside, CA/Mission Vista HS) as the 7-seat, Elspeth Charno (So./Fr., Port Angeles, WA/Port Angeles HS) at 6-seat, Clara Sims (Fr., Los Lunas, NM/School of Dreams Academy) in 5-seat, Brenda Mittelbuscher (Jr./So., Lafayette, CA/Acalanes HS) in 4-seat, Catharine Creadick (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) at 3-seat, Carli Fawcett (Fr., Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Mission Viejo HS) in 2-seat, and Annie Jolliff (Fr., Chico, CA/Chico HS) at bow.

Willamette's crew in the women's novice 4+ included Polkinghorn at coxswain, Fawcett at stroke, Sims at 3-seat, Charno at 2-seat and Davies at bow. The Bearcats placed third out of six boats in the third heat.

Western Washington University was first in 8:42.3, as the Vikings edged out the Long Beach State University club team, which took second in 8:45.6. Willamette was third at 9:01.4, as the Bearcats held off Sonoma State University. Sonoma State took fourth in 9:04.3. Humboldt State University was fifth in 9:37.9 and Puget Sound was sixth in 9:47.3.

The Bearcats also rowed in the first of two heats in the women's 2-. Carrie Moore (So., Walla Walla, WA/South Eugene HS) was stroke and Sarah Fish (Jr., Issaquah, WA/Holy Names Academy) rowed in the bow.

University of California won the W2- heat in 8:58.1. The overall Cal team is ranked #1 in NCAA Division I. Arizona State University's club team placed second in 9:00.0. University of Oregon's club team was third in 9:17.7, with Humboldt State in fourth at 9:22.4 and Willamette in fifth at 9:28.5.