Coach Rippetoe Interview | Results | Watch Replay

Worcester, Mass - Highlighted by a gold medal performance in the varsity eight race, the Boston University women's rowing team finished second by one point to Navy at the Patriot League Championships on Friday on Lake Quinsigamond. BU advanced all of its boats to the grand finals, won gold in the varsity eight race and bronze medals in both the varsity four and second varsity eight grand finals.

Entering the final race of the day, the V8 grand final, BU was in third place in team points with 21 behind leader Bucknell with 26 points and Navy with 25.

In the grand final, the 1V jumped out to an early lead over Navy and MIT as the three boats separated from the pack. Navy tried to make a move on the Terriers over the final 500 meters but the Terriers answered and pulled away, winning the race easily with a time of 7:13.5. The 1V, coxed by junior Marlaina Miller and stroked by classmate Annalise Routenberg, took home gold, while Navy won silver (7:17.3), MIT won bronze (7:20.2) and Bucknell finished fourth (7:21.9).

With the V8's victory, BU earned 27 points to finish the regatta with 48 points. Navy earned 24 points with their second place finish and won the PL Championship with 49 points, edging BU by just one point. Bucknell finished third overall with 44 points.

After the race, the BU varsity eight boat was named 2016 Patriot League Boat of the Year and Boston University director of women's rowing Stacey Rippetoe was named Coach of the Year. The award was the third conference coach of the year honor for Rippetoe in four years after winning the CAA coach of the year award in 2013 and the Patriot League Coach of the Year back in 2014.

In the second varsity eight grand final, BU's 2V, coxed by sophomore Jessica Grossman and stroked by classmate Melanie Norman, battled with Navy and Bucknell for an early lead. Bucknell took a two-seat lead over Navy with BU third in a very tight race. Over the final 500 meters, Bucknell and Navy pulled away from the Terriers with Bucknell finishing first (7:23.6), ahead of second-place Navy (7:25.2) and third-place BU (7:28.9). Bucknell earned 18 point for first place with Navy earning 16 points and BU receiving 14, setting the stage for the V8 grand final.

In the early morning heat races, the Terriers needed to finish in the top three of their 1V and 2V heat races to advance to the afternoon's grand finals and both boats delivered.

In the first race of the day, the Terriers' varsity eight boat started the Terriers off on the right foot by winning their heat race. BU finished with the fastest heat time of the day at 6:59.72, ahead of second-place MIT (7:00.7) and third-place Holy Cross (7:04.3) and moved on to the afternoon's grand final.

BU's second varsity eight boat raced next and finished second in its heat race to advance to the grand finals. The 2V finished with a time of 7:18.6, behind Bucknell (7:14.9) and ahead of Georgetown (7:26.8) and Lehigh (7:50.) to advance to the grand finals.

BU's varsity four, coxed by sophomore Erin Gannon and stroked by junior Kristina Damm, automatically advanced to the seven boat grand final. In the grand final, Navy finished first with a time of 8:14.07 followed by Bucknell (8:27.5) in second and BU in third (8:38.7). Navy earned 9 points for first place, Bucknell 8 points and BU 7 points.

FINAL PL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDING

1. Navy -- 49 points (2016 Patriot League Champion)
2. Boston University -- 48 points
3. Bucknell -- 44
4. MIT -- 35
5. Georgetown -- 33
6. HC -- 23
7. Colgate -- 17
8. Lehigh -- 13
9. Loyola

FULL RESULTS

LINEUPS

1V

B - Kerri Wegner
2 - Emily Lerhe
3 - Killian Ballard
4 - Bridget Behmke
5 - Laura Anhalt
6 - Jo MacCune
7 - Emily Huber
8 - Annalise Routenberg
C - Marlaina Miller

2V

B - Emma Quirk
2 - Lily Bettencourt
3 - Kitty Tolman
4 - Dominique Baker
5 - Colie Toren
6 - Kathryn Quirk
7 - Noelle Perry
8 - Melanie Norman
C - Jessica Grossman

V4

B - Megan St. Martin
2 - Ashton Fagan
3 - Cailyn Hudspeth
4 - Kristina Damm
C - Erin Gannon