FELLSMERE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University rowing team made a statement in its first Spring regatta of the season as the Sharks captured six of eight first place titles in the Division II Duals, a two-day regatta hosted by Florida Tech.

 

“We had a solid start to the season,” said head coach John Gartin. “These races are certainly a good look at the work that we have put in and how we measure up with the rest of the competition.  I am excited about this spring season, but we have to get back to work on Monday to keep building speed and finding that one percent more.”

 

The Sharks showed their strength in day one on Friday as NSU posted wins in the Varsity 4 and Varsity 8. In the days first race, the Sharks' Varsity 4B boat of Courtney Berger (Fr., Stratford, N.J.), Elizabeth Hurley (Sr., Fort Mill, S.C.), Claire Kurlychek (Jr., Land O’ Lakes, Fla.), Christie McElhenny (Jr., Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) and Sarah Patterson (So., Winter Park, Fla.) finished with a time of 8:31.3, which was 19 seconds ahead of Jacksonville (8:50.0) and 25 seconds ahead of NSU’s Varsity 4A boat (8:56.2).

 

The Varsity 8 boat of 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.), Taylor Van Horn (Fr., Cape Coral, Fla.), Stephanie Hauck (Fr., Somers Point, N.J.), Mallorie Reinecke (Jr., Buffalo, N.Y.) and Heather Higbee (So., Ocean View, N.J.) had a six-second victory. NSU clocked 7:28.2, while Jacksonville was second with a time of 7:34.4 and NSU’s “B” boat of Mikaela Myers (So., Perrysburg, Ohio), Emily Harrington (Fr., Virginia Beach, Fla.), Catherine Plesko (Fr., Brandon, Fla.), Deonnah Findley (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn.), Jennifer McDaniel (Fr., Deland, Fla.), Heather Reese (Charleston, S.C.), Frohn, Floyd and Nicole Mesa (Fr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.) rounded out the race with a time of 8:29.9.

 

“Coming out ahead of Jacksonville in the Varsity 8 on Friday afternoon was a real positive way to start the regatta,” said Gartin. “I was impressed with the control and technique that the V8 showed in the Saturday races and we certainly gained some confidence.  The small line-up changes between races allowed me to try a couple of different line-ups to see what is working best in the crucible of a race.”

 

NSU added four more wins on Saturday, starting off the day with a victory in the Varsity 8, edging Central Oklahoma by 21 second. The Varsity 8 boat of Stickles, O’Donnell, Hauck, Sutter, Schiavo, Van Horn, Kurlychek, Reinecke and Budreau garnered their second victory as a group in the Duals.

 

The Varsity 4B boat of Berger, Hurley, Higbee, Kayla Wieseckel (Jr., Roswell, Ga.) and Patterson was 20 seconds faster than the Varsity 4A boat of Tortorici, McElhenny, Victoria Ciccone (Fr., Brigantine, N.J.), Ivana Gagula (Boca Raton, Fla.) and Jordan and 24 seconds better than Central Oklahoma.

 

“The V4s that we raced certainly had impressive races,” said Gartin. “We changed a lot of line-ups to see what combinations worked as well as the rowers getting a lot of race experience.  We even had a chance to boat a couple of lightweight and pure freshman combinations that could see more races in the near term.  It was great to see the rowers and coxswains adapt to each line-up without a concern as many this was their first time on the water in that combination.  I was gratified to see them embracing the concept of any seat, any boat, any time.”

 

The only two losses came from defeats came from Columbia, but both were just mere seconds from victory. In the Freshman 8, the Sharks were only four seconds behind the Division I powerhouse as the Sharks placed a time of 07:28.9. Berger, Harrington, Plesko, Findley, McDaniel, Reese, Mooney, Floyd and Mesa combined for the closes race of the day.

 

“The Freshman 8 was a great race,” said Gartin. “I was really excited for that boat as there are several novices in that boat who in combination with the experienced freshman are creating a good boat with great fundamentals and lots of potential for some of the major spring regattas.  They hung tough with Columbia and gained a lot of confidence from that race.”

 

Concluding the day, NSU finished with two dominating victories over Philadelphia. Nova Southeastern was 24 seconds head in the Varsity 8 while the Varsity 4 was unmatched, dominating the race by nearly a minute.

 

NSU is back in action next Saturday, March 25 and 26, for the Division II Duals II, as the Sharks return to Fellsmere, Fla. Start time is yet to be announced

 

2 Jacksonville                     08:50.0

 

Varsity 8+
1 Nova Southeastern       07:28.2
2 Jacksonville                     07:34.4
3 Nova Southeastern 2   08:28.9

 

Saturday
Varsity 8+
1 Nova Southeastern       07:03.4
2 Central Oklahoma          07:25.2

3 Central Oklahoma         08:11.22

 

Freshman 8
1 Columbia                        07:24.4

3 Central Oklahoma        08:08.4

 

Second Varsity 4+
1 Columbia                       07:44.9

 

Varsity 8+
1 Nova Southeastern    07:04.5
2 Philadelphia                  07:28.7

 

2 Philadelphia                  09:14.5