Raleigh, NC - The Stetson women's rowing team ventured to unknown waters over the weekend to test itself against some of the biggest, and best, rowing teams in the nation at the Lake Wheeler Invitational, which was co-hosted by Duke University and the University of North Carolina.
While the Hatters didn't win on the water, the goal going into the event was to see improved times on the water as well as get exposure to some of the best in the sport.
"I am very proud of how our athletes competed this weekend," Hatters coach
Katie Thurstin said. "We knowingly went up against programs that have, at a minimum, three times the undergraduate enrollment of Stetson, and found ourselves leading the race through the middle 1000 meters, finishing only seconds behind in the petite finals.
It was in the women's second Varsity 8 final where the Hatters raced neck-and-neck against Boston College and North Carolina, crossing the line just 2.67 seconds behind BC. In the regular Varsity 8 final, the Hatters finished just 7.433 seconds behind UNC. Â
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"This weekend wasn't about placing," Thurstin said. "It was about being in the mix, working as a team, pushing the program to the next level and putting down the fastest times as possible. I believe we accomplished all four of those things. Not a single crew gave up the fight on the race course, regardless of the conditions; and we also had some fun along the way."
The four Stetson crews that competed in the event were:
"We would like to thank Duke and North Carolina for hosting this weekend and providing live streaming for all of the friends and families that couldn't attend," Thurstin said. "It takes a lot of work and effort to put on a regatta in a normal year, so we are grateful to anyone willing to put in the extra work this year."
The Hatters will have three weeks to prepare for their next event, the MAAC Championships, which are scheduled for May 16 in West Windsor, NJ.
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