Women's Rowing Picked First in PL Preseason Poll

April 3, 2015

Coach Rippetoe Interview | PL Preseason Poll

Ithaca, N.Y. - After a long winter, the defending Patriot League Champion Boston University women's rowing team will open its Spring season this Friday and Saturday when it travels to Ithaca, N.Y. The Terriers will take part in a multi-team competition featuring crews from Syracuse, Buffalo, URI and Iowa.

Entering the Spring season, the Terriers are favored to defend their Patriot League Championship, according to the conference's preseason poll released by the league on Thursday. The polls were voted on by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

The Terriers, who captured the 2014 league title in dramatic fashion last May, received 124 points and 12 first place votes to edge Navy (118 points, 6 first place votes) atop the preseason poll. The Terriers and Mids were chosen 1-2 on every ballot.

This year's team will look to emulate last year's success and advance to the NCAA Championships for a third-consecutive year, but they know it won't be easy.

"From our varsity eight boat last year, we lost six of those athletes," said women's head rowing coach Stacey Rippetoe. "We will have to work really hard to be better then last year. I think our seniors this year, the class of 2015, were ready the day of NCAAs last year. They are ready to step up and lead and they have done a nice job."

This weekend, BU will face off against Buffalo and URI on Friday with the first race scheduled for 5:10 p.m. and then battle Syracuse (for the Kittell Cup) and Iowa starting at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday.

After competing this weekend, BU will return home to the DeWolfe Boathouse for the Class of 1985 Cup vs. Yale and Dartmouth on Saturday, April 11.

SCHEDULE

Friday
5:10 p.m. vs. Buffalo, URI

Saturday
7:30 a.m. vs. Syracuse, Iowa

WEEKEND LINEUPS

Varsity Eight

B - Jo MacCune

2 -- Marisa Borchardt

3 - Bridget Behmke

4 - Kelly Jackson

5 - Emily Lerhe

6 - Laura Anhalt