V4 Secures Silver at NCAA Championships; Women's Rowing Places Fourth Overall

GAINESVILLE, GA - Thomas Jefferson University women's rowing completed their season at the NCAA Championships in Gainesville, Georgia. The Rams finished fourth overall in the standings with a second place finish in the V4 race, a first for the program. 

Western Washington took both first place in the V4 and V8 to earn the national championship with 30 points. Cal Poly Humboldt took second overall as they claimed 30 points as they placed third in both races. Seattle Pacific earned third place off a silver place finish in the Eight while being second in the Final 2.  

FINAL STANDINGS 

VARSITY EIGHT 

Jena Ellis (coxswain), Ashlyn Chaffee (stroke), Alaina Gassler, Elizabeth Samer, Cecily Fritz, Julia Gray, Kailey Grimley, Karlie Cutler, Emma Karver (bow) 

1. Western Washington – 6:42.983 
2. Embry-Riddle – 6:53.425 
3. Jefferson – 7:00.633 

*Jefferson was behind first place by only four second and second place by two seconds after the first 500 meters. The Rams kept up by being only four seconds away from second at the 1000 mark, eventually staying in third place throughtout the rest of the race. 

1. Jefferson – 7:04.994 
2. Rollins – 7:16.330 

*Jefferson held a six second lead after the first 500 meters and kept it up throughout the rest of the race, eventually winnin the Petite Final and placing fifth in the eights 

VARSITY FOUR 

Lauren High (coxswain), Izzy Brody-Kaplan (stroke), Madds Huntsman, Lilly Clark, Joanna Chou (bow) 

1. Cal Poly Humboldt – 7:43.087 
2. Jefferson – 7:46.253 
3. Rollins – 7:51.635 

*Jefferson was third to begin the first 1000 meters as they were only a second behind Rollins. Jefferson eventually got ahead to second place at the 1500 mark and held it the rest of the way to earn a spot in the Grand Final. 

1. Western Washington – 7:41.584 
2. Jefferson – 7:43.400 
3. Cal Poly Humboldt – 7:45.172 
4. Embry Riddle – 7:52.470 

*Jefferson was in fourth after the opening 500 meters. Similar to the Heat from before, the Rams went to be in third at the 1000 mark with less than a second to Cal Poly Humboldt. Jefferson went to get in second and was less than a second behind first place Western Washington at the 1500 meter spot. The Rams was not able to pass Western Washington but kept up second place throughout the race to the finish line.  

This is the team's first top-2 finish at the NCAA Championships in a race in program history. The Rams placed as high as third in previous years.