GAINESVILLE, Ga. (March 24, 2018) – The Franklin Pierce University rowing program began their spring slate of races this past Saturday at the John Hunter Regatta hosted by the Lake Lanier Olympic Park.

“The team traveled last week to Gainesville, Ga. to train at the Lake Lanier Olympic Center over Spring Break,” said head coach Sarah Caruthers. “We were happy to see that our training off the water has transitioned onto the water and that we have improved our technique and power despite being off the water. The team worked extremely hard over the past week on and off the water. The team demonstrated a great sense of comraderies and support for each other throughout the week. The team has three novices who sat in a boat for the first time this past Monday. They worked extremely hard and was in the V8 by the end of the week for some steady state pieces.”

The Varsity 4+ consisted of stroke Shelby Telega (South Deerfield, Mass.), Marykate Cullinane (Medford, Mass.), Holly Hay (Miller Place, N.Y.), bow Sophia Alexandrou (Windham, N.H.) and coxswain Hannah Eldridge (Whitinsville, Mass.). The boat had a great race with a third-place finish in their heat and the ninth fastest time (8:27.22) in the event They qualified for the Petit Final with their time. Unfortunately, during the Petit Final, an athlete was injured during the warm-up. The crew was not able to race to their full extent due to the injury.

“The Varsity 4+ demonstrated their potential during Saturday’s race. We have room for improvement, especially with our sprints. I am extremely proud of what this boat accomplished after only being on the water for only four days so far this spring. It is unfortunate that we were not able to race to our full potential in the petit final, but we are excited for what this boat can do this season.”

The Lightweight 4+ consisted of stoke Jenna Chiavelli (Methuen, Mass.), Katrina Wilson (Rindge, N.H.), Nicole McIntosh (North Pole, Alaska), bow Kaitlin Morin (Raymond, N.H.) and coxswain Grace Walker (Greenfield, Mass). The crew finished with a time of 9:40.70. The JV 4+ consisted of stroke Morin, Kellie Crandall (North Stonington, Conn.) McIntosh, bow Chiavelli, and coxswain Walker. They finished with a time of 10:17.06. 

“I am proud of these two crews.  The boats consisted of two novices each. The novices had their first experience on the water this past Monday. They have learned a lot in a few short days and we were happy with the rows they had on Saturday. We are anxious for Pearly Pond to defrost so we can get back on the water.”

The rowing program detailed their experiences during spring break in a blog posted on their Facebook page. To read the Captains’ Spring Break Blog, visit the team’s Facebook page: facebook.com/FPURowing

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 rowing apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).