T12: Men's and Lightweight Rowing Win Bronze at IRAs
July 21, 2015 | Men's Rowing
This summer, GoTerriers.com will once again count down the top 12 achievements of Boston University teams and student-athletes from the previous year. Check back each Tuesday and Friday as we reveal this year's Terrier Twelve.
Coming in at No. 4 in this year's Terrier 12 are the men's rowing and women's lightweight rowing teams' medal winning performances at the IRA National Championship Regatta.
Competing at the IRAs in West Windsor, N.J. for just the second time, the BU women's lightweight rowing team won two bronze medals and saw all three of its boats finish in the top four.
On the final day of the regatta, the Terriers' lightweight varsity eight boat raced in the grand final with a national championship on the line. The V8, coxed by junior Rachel Cohn and stroked by senior Carol Chase Peterson, fell behind early with Stanford and Radcliffe jumping in front. BU, Princeton and Wisconsin battled for third at the 1,000 meter mark with the Terriers and Princeton then going head-to-head for third over the final 500 meters. BU was able to pull ahead of the Tigers and finished third with a time of 6:36.01 for the bronze, about 4 seats ahead of Princeton (6:38.53). Stanford won the gold (6:32.23) with Radcliffe second (6:35.13).
Earlier in the competition, the lightweight double boat, made up of senior Brittany Murphy and junior Cynthia Herrera, finished third in its final to win bronze.
The IRA bronze medals were firsts for the lightweight program and cemented the Terriers as an elite women's lightweight rowing program in just its third year of existence.
On the men's side, the Terriers were led by a bronze medal performance of their own in the second varsity eight grand final.
After advancing through its heat races and semifinals on Friday and Saturday, the BU 2V advanced to the grand finals on Sunday and faced off against rowing powerhouses Cal, Washington, Princeton, Yale and Brown.
The race began close with no real leader over the first 200 meters, Washington, Princeton and Cal began to take the top three spots at the 500 meter mark with all boats within 3 seats. BU closed on third-place California over the second 500 meters and passed the Golden Bears at the 1,000 meter mark and didn't look back. The 2V, coxed by freshman MacKenzie Hart and stroked by classmate Max Ponsen, opened up a comfortable lead over Cal and cruised to a third-place finish. BU finished with a time of 5:38.32, ahead of Cal (5:42.33), Yale (5:45.02) and Brown (5:49.03). Washington won the gold with a time of 5:33.64 and Princeton took silver (5:34.66).
The IRA bronze medal was the first ever for a 2V, or any eight boat, in program history. Overall, the BU men's rowing team tallied 139 Ten Eyck points to place seventh out of a field of 24 in IRA team competition.
