Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ go through final warm up before HOCR

SHREWBURY, Mass. (October 11, 2015) – The Franklin Pierce University women's rowing team travelled to Shrewsbury, Mass. on Saturday, to compete in the Quinsigamond Snake, the team's final race before the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta.

The Women's Varsity 8+ managed a 20th place finish out of 27. Led by senior coxswain Mary Quinn (Erie, Pa.), junior Nicole Rode (Thomaston, Conn.), freshman Mackenzie Hitch (Oregon, Ohio), freshman Kyra Fairley (Kingston, N.Y.), senior Colette Donnelley (Woodbury, Conn.), freshman Marykate Cullinane (Medford, Mass.), freshman Onyeris Lopez-Maldonado (Hyde Park, Mass.), senior Megan DeFelice (Chester, N.H.) and junior Kirsten Salois (Pelham, N.H.) rowed through a tough headwind and completed the race in a time of 17:57.08. The Ravens competed in a highly competitive field in which Wellesley College took first place with a time of 15:33.9. The heat also included the 2015 NCAA Division III Champions, Bates College, who took second place with a time of 15:45.5. The Ravens finished ahead of six boats, including Division II rival Assumption College.

The Women's Varsity Four finished with a time of 23:38.6, good for 17th place ahead of Massachusetts Maritime. The University of New Hampshire took home the win with a time of 18:16.5 and a DII rival, Merrimack College, was second in the event with a time of 18:56.7. The four was coxed by sophomore Grace Walker (Greenfield, Mass.) and included sophomore Danielle Clarke (Fairfield, Conn.) senior Amanda Beasley (Newmarket, N.H.), sophomore Stephanie Priest (Dudley, Mass.) and senior Bailee Desforges (Bridport, Vt.).

Next week the Ravens travel to Boston for the 51st Head of the Charles Regatta where they will field a boats in the collegiate varsity four, women's club eight and an alumnae boat will represent Franklin Pierce in the women's club fours.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's rowing apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).