GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The No. 3 Nova Southeastern rowing team completed its first day of competition in the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship May 27 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif.

The Varsity 8 competed first for the Sharks in the first heat against top favorite No. 1 Western Washington and the No. 4 crew of Humboldt State.

The Varsity 8, crew of coxswain Elizabeth Tortorici (Fr., Winter Park, Fla.), Alyssa O'Donnell (Jr., Ballston Spa, N.Y.), Lauren Boudreau (So., Waterford, N.Y.), Jessica Sutter (Jr., Miami Beach, Fla.), Abigail Schiavo (Fr., Northfield, N.J.), Catherine Plesko (Fr., Brandon, Fla.), Claire Kurlychek (Jr., Land O'Lakes, Fla.), Taylor Van Horn (Fr., Cape Coral, Fla.) and Mallorie Reinecke (Jr., Buffalo, N.Y.) who finished third in their heat with a finishing time of 7:09.93, 9.39 seconds off the pace of second-place finisher Humboldt State and 19 seconds behind No.1 Western Washington.

The Sharks’ 8 will compete tomorrow, May 27 at 1:30 PM ET in a Repechage Race as a “last chance” to obtain a place in the Grand Final which will take place Sunday, May 28.

Crews participating in the Varsity 8 Repechage along with the Sharks will be No. 4 Humboldt State and the two at-large bids No. 5 Seattle Pacific and No. 7 Barry University.

The Varsity 4 took to the water next as they were placed in the second heat competing against No. 2 Mercyhurst College.

Manning the Varsity 4 was coxswain Marissa Stickles (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.), Heather Higbee (So., Ocean View, N.J.), Elizabeth Hurley (Sr., Fort Mill, S.C.), Emma Jordan (Jr., Sebastian, Fla.) and Kayla Wieseckel (Jr., Roswell, Ga.) who had a very clean race placing second in their heat with a finishing time of 7:59.41, 11.50 seconds off the leader.

The Varsity 4 will also compete tomorrow in a Repechage battling for the last Grand Final spot against No. 4 Humboldt State. The winner of this race will earn a spot in the Grand Final.

The race will take off tomorrow, May 27 at 1:45 PM ET immediately following the Varsity 8 race.
The 2011 NCAA National Championship will have live video provided by NCAA.com

Highlights of the Divisions I, II and III Women’s Rowing Championships will appear on the 2011 CBS Sports Presents Championships of the NCAA (spring seasonal show), set to air at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 19 on CBS.

For the latest rowing news and results, be sure to check www.NSUSharks.com or sign up to have results sent directly to your cell phone by signing up for SMS text messages by clicking here. For the weekly NSU Shark Athletic news, please sign up for the Shark Alert E-Newsletter by clicking here.

Remaining Schedule

Saturday May 28
1:30 PM – Eights Repechage
1:45 PM – Fours Repechage

Sunday May 29
12:00 PM – Fours Grand Final (Places 1-3)
12:15 PM – Eights Petite Final (Places 5-6)
12:30 PM – Eights Grand Final (Places 1-4)
3:15 PM – Awards Ceremony

*(Eastern Standard Time)*