Varsity Four Wins At Head of the Genesee

The victory was UB’s first at the regatta

Winning Varsity Four Boat

ROCHESTER, NY - The University at Buffalo rowing team continued its fall season with a strong performance on Sunday at the Head of the Genesee. UB’s Varsity Four boat won its race, while UB had four boats in the Open Eight race, with the top boat finishing in fourth.

The Varsity Four boat, which consisted of coxswain Kate Everly (Brockville, Ontario/Brockville), Tara Rudkoski (Merrick, NY/Calhoun), Amanda Garbacz (St. Catharines, Ontario/Denis Morris), Alana Sharpe (St. Catharines, Ontario/Governor Simcoe) and Francisca Nwoke (Rosedale, NY/Hillcrest) finished first of four boats in the Open Four race, defeating crews from Cornell and Syracuse. The Bulls won both the head race and the sprint race to finish with a total time of 36:40.99, which was more than 20 second better than Cornell who finished in second at 37:01.09.

In the Open Eight race, UB had four of the 10 boats that competed with Syracuse taking first in the race at a combined time of 32:28.23. The University of Western Ontario finished second, while Cornell finished in third before UB’s Varsity Eight boat took fourth. The boat of coxswain Alison Sheehan (St. Catharines, Ontario/Denis Morris), Lauren Sexton (Niagara Falls, Ontario/St. Paul), Brittany Ronald (St. Catharines, Ontario/Sir Winston Churchill), Melina DiCosimo (Niagara Falls, Ontario/St. Paul), Bridget Yannes (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross), Ashley Hanhurst (Highland, NY/Highland), Sasha Bailey (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park), Morgan Witte (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) and Cathleen Streicher (West Seneca, NY/Sacred Heart Academy) finished in 33:11.99. UB’s Second Varsity Eight Boat finished in seventh place while its Lightweight Eight and Novice Eight boats finished in ninth and tenth place, respectively.

The Bulls will be back in action on Sunday, October 26 when they travel to the Head of the Fish Regatta.

Open Four
1. Buffalo - 36:40.99
2. Cornell - 37:01.09
3. Syracuse - 37:45.96

Open Eight
1. Syracuse - 32:38.23
2. Western Ontario - 32:44.21
3. Cornell - 33:01.96
4. Buffalo V8 - 33:11.99
7. Buffalo 2V8 - 34:19.79
9. Buffalo L8 - 35:46.32
10. Buffalo N8 - 37:34.96