PHILADELPHIA – The Thomas Jefferson University women's rowing team had a varsity boat earn a silver medal at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta for the second straight year as the Rams wrapped up competition at the nation's largest intercollegiate regatta on Saturday.
 
The Jefferson Varsity Eight was the runner-up in the Division II/III event with a time of 6:26.073. The Rams were in the lead down the stretch but were edged out by Mercyhurst, ranked number one in Division II, at the line, a margin of just 0.428 seconds. Jefferson's silver medal is its fourth Dad Vail medal in program history and second in a row after the Varsity Four took silver in 2021. It is the Rams' first medal won by the Varsity Eight.
 
VARSITY EIGHT – DIV. II/III
            - Mara Holt (coxswain), Jule Boeckmann (stroke), Nomeda Nazarenkaite, Maxi Schacht, Maggie Sher, Lily Rodgers, Olivia Eichman, Maeve Bieter, Colton Salomon-Lowden (bow)
 
Heat
1. Mercyhurst – 6:25.959
2. Jefferson – 6:30.627
3. Barry – 6:32.161
4. Embry-Riddle – 6:42.147
5. Florida Tech – 6:45.959
 
Grand Final (Henry Backe Trophy)
1. Mercyhurst – 6:25.645
2. Jefferson – 6:26.073
3. Embry-Riddle – 6:40.555
4. Barry – 6:44.491
5. Florida Tech – 6:45.691
 
VARSITY FOUR – DIV. II/III
            - Savannah Orlando (coxswain), Erica Lehman (stroke), Katherine Gortner, Caitlin Lawson, Olivia Liebsch (bow)
 
Heat Two
1. Jefferson – 7:36.388
2. Barry – 7:38.536
3. Franklin and Marshall – 7:45.116
4. Cabrini – 7:54.648
5. Stockton – 8:36.970
 
Semifinal Two
1. Florida Tech – 7:28.351
2. Jefferson – 7:45.459
3. Milwaukee School of Engineering – 7:48.075
4. Merchant Marine – 7:55.293
5. Cabrini – 8:10.565
6. Catholic – 8:35.987
 
Grand Final
1. Embry-Riddle – 7:19.911
2. Florida Tech – 7:29.743
3. Barry – 7:32.179
4. Lafayette – 7:35.487
5. Jefferson – 7:36.067
6. Milwaukee School of Engineering – 7:57.021
 
FROSH/NOVICE FOUR
            - Tori Diaz (coxswain), Vanessa Perez (stroke), Grace Fairbrother, Sara Benedict-Augustine, Shannon Cavanagh (bow)
 
Heat Three
1. Wisconsin – 7:35.662
2. Lafayette – 7:38.282
3. Colorado – 7:38.728
4. Grand Valley State – 7:50.174
5. Jefferson – 8:19.542
 
UP NEXT
Jefferson will await a potential bid to the NCAA Division II Championships. The selection show is scheduled for Monday, May 16 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.