Bulls Finish Second At CAA Championships; Win Kerr Cup

UB’s Varsity Four claims CAA Championship

CAA Champion Varsity Four

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The University at Buffalo rowing team finished in second place in the inaugural Colonial Athletics Association Championships on Saturday afternoon, finishing the event with 31 points. Northeastern won the title with 35 points. UB’s Varsity Four boat won the CAA title, while the two other boats finished second. UB continued its strong days as all four of its boats won gold medals at the Kerr Cup as the Bulls finished as overall champions.

The Varsity Four boat took home the Colonial Athletic Association title with a nine-second victory in their race. The boat of coxswain Alison Sheehan, Stephanie Szymanski, Samantha Barrett, Dakota Smith and Jacklyn Postulka clocked in at 7:41.93 to take home the six points for UB. Northeastern finished in second at 7:50.00.

Alison Sheehan

The Varsity Eight boast of coxswain Britt Marshall, Lauren Sexton, Melina DiCosimo, Tara Rudkoski, Bridget Yannes, Ashley Hanhurst, Sasha Bailey, Sam Masucci and Cathleen Streicher finished in second place in their race as the clocked in at 6:48.08, just under five seconds behind Northeastern. Also competing in the championships was the Second Varsity Eight, which finished in second at 7:00.63, eight seconds behind Northeastern. Every UB athlete to take place in the CAA Championships picked up a medal, but the Bulls weren’t done yet as they partook in the afternoon’s Kerr Cup.

Melina DiCosimo

UB claimed the overall points title at the Kerr Cup with all four of its boats claiming first place finishes. The Varsity Eight and and Second Varsity added a gold medal to their day as they both picked up victories at the Kerr Cup. The CAA Champion Varsity Four did not compete at the Kerr Cup, but the members of the crew split up into two other boats where they each took home their second gold medal. Sheehan was the coxswain for the Novice Four boat, while Szymanski, Barrett, Smith and Postulka all rowed in the Novice Eight boat. The Novice Eight boat won its heat in 7:15.80 and then won the final in 7:26.41, nearly eight seconds ahead of second place Delaware. The Novice Four boat won its heat by 10 seconds in 8:10.50 and then clocked in at 8:44.46 in the finals, seven seconds ahead of Villanoca. The Second Varsity Eight only had to run one race as it won in 7:14.13, finishing ahead of George Mason, who they defeated earlier in the CAA Championships. The Varsity Eight boat won its opening heat in 6:55.2, winning the race by over 12 seconds. In the finals, UB clocked in at 7:19.15, which again bested the times of Delaware and Drexel.

The Bulls return to action this Saturday when they row against Holy Cross and Boston College in Worchester, MA.