April 26, 2003
First Varsity Eight Defeats Ithaca for First Time
No. 8 WC Edges Past No. 2 Bombers at ACSL

CARLISLE, PA -- The eighth-ranked Washington College women's rowing team defeated second-ranked Ithaca College in the first varsity eight for the first time in school history today at the Atlantic Collegiate Sprints League Regatta in Carlisle, PA.

Washington led from the 500-meter mark on, holding off Ithaca for the final three-quarters of the race. The Shorewomen finished a little over two seconds, or two-thirds of a boat length, in front of the Bombers. Eleventh-ranked R.I.T. finished third. The performance brings the Shorewomen one step closer to a possible berth in the NCAA Division III Championships. Senior Anna Germain (Rock Hall, MD/Christiana, DE) was the coxswain for the first varsity eight boat. With her in the boat were junior Kelly McGlynn (Pleasant Valley, NY/Arlington) at stroke, junior Sara Beegle (Baltimore, MD/Baltimore Polytechnic) in the seven seat, senior Mary McAuliffe (Columbia, MD/Mount de Sales Academy) in the six seat, sophomore Beth Rideout (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) in the five seat, sophomore Liz Smith (Sharpsburg, MD/Boonsboro) in the four seat, sophomore Amanda Smallwood (Fort Washington, MD/Oxon Hill) in the three seat, sophomore Jennifer Bockmiller (Westminster, MD/Westminster) in the two seat, and junior Leona Dalton (Bowie, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) at bow.

In the second varsity eight, Washington finished fourth of six teams. Ithaca won the race, but WC did finish in front of two nationally-ranked teams - 17th-ranked Vassar was fifth and R.I.T. was sixth. Junior Amy Levak (Medford Lakes, NJ/Shawnee) was the coxswain for the second varsity eight boat. Joining her in the boat were freshman Katherine Wilson (Devon, PA) at stroke, junior Gina Ralston (Kennett Square, PA/Unionville) in the seven seat, freshman Cassie Ann Slentz (Penn Yann, NY) in the six seat, freshman Elizabeth Davis (Pitman, NJ) in the five seat, senior Heather Reader (Chadds Ford, PA/Garnet Valley) in the four seat, sophomore Samantha Hastler (Bel Air, MD/John Carroll) in the three seat, freshman Caitlyn Koehler (Waldorf, MD/Maurice J. McDonough) in the two seat and freshman Stephanie Gerwitz (Wynnewood, PA) at bow.

Washington's novice eight finished second to Ithaca. Freshman Katie Cooper (Annapolis, MD) served as coxswain for the novice eight boat. Also in the boat were freshman Anna Landry (Chesapeake, VA) at stroke, freshman freshman Leslie Meredith (Aberdeen, MD) in the seven seat, freshman Jeanne Seeberger (Baltimore, MD) in the six seat, freshman Lexi Paza (Williamsport, MD) in the five seat, freshman Sara Gendal (Strafford, VT/Thetford Academy) in the four seat, freshman Maggie Von Rump (Mystic, CT) in the three seat, freshman Sarah Kuhlmann (Hackettstown, NJ) in the two seat, and freshman Sarah Riklin (Bethesda, MD/Walter Johnson) at bow.