Rowing Readies for Head of the Occoquan

10/30/2009 2:00:00 PM | Rowing

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. - The Duke rowing team will enter four races at the Head of the Occoquan this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, sending a total of 11 boats to compete on the Occoquan Reservoir in Fairfax, Va.

The Blue Devils, who are coming off a 20^th-place finish at the Head of the Charles, will enter two boats in the varsity eight, four in the varsity four, two in the novice eight and three in the novice four.

Duke's top boat stays intact from its last race at the Head of the Charles, with the exception of sophomore Kathryn Lowry, who will now sit in with the top varsity eight. Joining her are coxswain Justine Hong, Kathy Smithwick, Laurel Sisler, Rory Erickson-Kulas, Alex Japhet, Caroline Fox, Emily Theys and Stephanie Rosser. That octet notched a time of 17:52.605 at the Head of the Charles on November 19, taking 20^th place ahead of MIT, Massachusetts, Boston College and Boston University, among others.

Duke will also enter another boat in the varsity eight, made up of freshmen Sarah Baker (coxswain), Katie Burke, Laura Kuhlman and Julijana Englander sophomores Laura Guth, Laura Williams, Ali Long, Meredith Jewitt and Nancy McKinstry.

Also taking part in the two-day event for Duke will be four entries in the varsity four, including the top boat of Baker, Smithwick, Sisler, Japhet and Erickson-Kulas, who will all be pulling double-duty. Hong, Briede, Fox, Guth and Rosser will make up Duke's second entry.

Several novice members of the team will also compete in the novice eight and novice four. The complete lineups are listed below.

The Head of the Occoquan preempts Duke's final race of the fall season, which ends with the Head of the Hooch in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8.

V8
Duke A - Justine Hong (cox), Kathy Smithwick, Laurel Sisler, Rory Erickson-Kulas, Alex Japhet, Caroline Fox, Emily Theys, Stephanie Rosser, Kathryn Lowry
Duke B - Sarah Baker (cox), Katie Burke, Laura Guth, Laura Williams, Laura Kuhlman, Ali Long, Meredith Jewitt, Julijana Englander, Nancy McKinstry

V4
Duke A - Katie Baker (cox), Kathy Smithwick, Laurel Sisler, Alex Japhet, Rory Erickson-Kulas
Duke B - Justine Hong (cox), Brianna Briede, Caroline Fox, Laura Guth, Stephanie Rosser
Duke C - Ashleigh Anne McKinney (cox), Kathryn Lowry, Laura Williams, Nancy McKinstry, Ali Long
Duke D - Kathie Sun (cox), Meredith Jewitt, Tori Arendt, Yangyang Guo, Joline Doedens

N8
Duke A - Emilie Marchetti (cox), Emily Theys, Julijana Englander, Laura Kuhlman, Katie Burke, Victoria Tsamis, Laura Scarrino, Claire Sorensen, Beth Haynes
Duke B - Hannah Hayward (cox), Stephani Zakutansky, Sydney Johnson, DeDe Mann, Adrienne Niederriter, Risa Isard, Neha Sabharwal, Maggie Chu, Helen Gilles

N4
Duke A - Maggie Chu (cox), Stephani Zakutansky, Laura Sciarrino, Victoria Tsamis, Syndey Johnson
Duke B - Emilie Marchetti (cox), Claire Sorennsen, Adrienne Nederriter, Beth Haynes, Helen Gilles
Duke C - Ashleigh Anne McKinney (cox), Risa Isard, Neha Sabharwal, Dede Mann, Hanna Hayward

-d-u-k-e-