Liberty University Club Sports
Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Women’s Novice 8 boat rows to silver medal at SIRA Championships in Tennessee
4/18/2023 5:28:56 PM | Rowing
Liberty University rowers exceled in a strong field of boats in this past weekend’s Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championships on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn., paced by its women’s Novice 8 crew’s silver medal for its runner-up finish.
The Lady Flames finished as rowers-up to Purdue in both the time trial and the 2,000-meter final (8 minutes, 38.01 seconds) with sophomore Alaina Schaefer at coxswain, junior Devyn Bayle at stroke, and rowers Kayleigh Yohn, a sophomore, junior Alyssa Horne, freshmen Rebecca Kardoes, Allie Reed, Emily Tait, and Evelyn Edwards, and sophomore Faith Hartle.
“They did amazingly well,” Liberty Head Coach Debbie Prowse said. “Going into the final 500 of the race, they were in third place behind Purdue and Georgia Tech before they started really bringing on their sprint in the last 200 meters when one of Georgia Tech’s rowers in the bow of their boat took a huge crab (planted her oar) and we were able to row right through them into second place.”
Clemson’s boat wound up winning the bronze as Georgia Tech’s boat stalled.
“It was a great race, and the girls were super excited,” Prowse said. “We have been rowing this lineup all spring, so we have had a good amount of time to gel and row together. All in all, it was a great weekend and we had really nice weather.”
The Lady Flames’ Varsity 4 came in fourth in the A final in 7:30.4, behind only William & Mary, Georgia Tech, and Florida. That boat was coxed by senior Callie Perini and featured graduate Brielle West in the stroke seat followed by sophomores Rachel Teague, Grace Sibert, and Kimberly Loutzenheiser in the bow.
After placing 19th out of 22 boats in the men’s Varsity 8 heat races, Liberty’s rowers — coxed by freshman Eva McCawley with senior Kody Herbert in the stoke seat followed by freshman Gideon Abbott, sophomores John Bailey, freshmen Travis Hogan and Jonathan Dodge, juniors Kurt Herbert and Ethan Alley, and freshman Kyle Meeker — won the D final in 7:33.55.
That boat was originally scheduled to enter the Novice 8, but had to substitute Kurk Herbert, a varsity rower, in place of sophomore Cody Johnson, who had a conflict with an Army ROTC event. That forced the Flames to row at the varsity level, which was a good experience, but one they weren’t prepared for.
“They probably would have been in the B final if they had rowed as a novice boat,” Prowse said.
Complete results are available online.
For the May 19-22 American Club Rowing Association (ACRA) National Championships, which will also be held in Oak Ridge, Tenn., Prowse is considering entering a men’s Novice 4 instead as Johnson and senior Tim Bentz, who has served as a varsity coxswain but could row at the novice level, both will be unavailable.
“We are down to seven on the men’s side, so we will do some seat racing to see if we can put a fast Novice 4 together,” she said.
This Sunday, Prowse will send nearly her entire team to the Rocketts Landing Regatta hosted by VCU in Richmond, Va., where they will enter a men’s Novice 4 and Novice 8, a women’s Novice 8, Novice 4, and Varsity 4, and men’s Double. That tandem of Kirk Herbert and senior Quinon Gresham has been sculling together since the team started practicing on Smith Mountain Lake in early March and will be competing for the first time with a chance of qualifying for ACRAs as well.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer
