Kansas Places Third at Big 12 Rowing Championship

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OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – The University of Kansas concluded the final day of the Big 12 Rowing Championship with a third-place team finish on Sunday at Melton Hill Lake, highlighted by the Second Varsity Four boat earning a bronze medal.

KU’s third-place finish, an improvement from last season’s fourth-place finish, was behind Oklahoma and back-to-back Big 12 champion Texas.

“We were looking to finish at a higher level in the Big 12, and that’s what we did – going from fourth- to third-place this season,” Kansas head coach Rob Catloth said. “We have a lot of returners coming back next year and we can build upon this experience. It will make them hungrier moving forward. For such a young team, they are making great strides that will pay off in the near future.”

KU’s Second Varsity Four (2V4) finished with a time of 7:54.4 to earn a bronze medal. 2V4’s finish credited six points to KU’s team point total. The Jayhawks have finished in the top-three of the 2V4 Grand Final for five consecutive years.

Second Varsity Four coxswain Bailey Coolidge credits her boat’s unselfishness as the key to success.

“We rowed for each other and it resulted in the best race we have rowed together,” Coolidge said.

The Kansas First Varsity Four (1V4) came just three seconds away from medaling, finishing with a 7:47.4 time behind Oklahoma.

“I’m really proud of the girls,” 1V4 coxswain Mallory Miller said. “We have a pretty young boat this year – three of our rowers just started rowing in September. For them to come out and be competitive with some good competition. We really executed the game plan well. We wanted to medal but we gave it our all and that’s all I can ask for.”

KU’s Second Varsity Eight (2V8) boat also finished fourth with a 7:04.3 time in their Grand Final.

“It was really good result,” 2V8 coxswain Kenzie Obrochta said. “We came into it really thinking that we could do well. All the boats we were competing against we really fast – us and everyone else. We wish we could have medaled, but we did everything we could in that race and we left it all out on the course. We performed to the best of our ability.”

The Jayhawks’ Third Varsity Eight (3V8) and First Varsity Eight (1V8) finished fifth in their respective races as the trio of eight-boats brought in a collective 62 team points.

Six seniors rowed in their final regatta of their collegiate careers on Sunday – Angie Flores-Rodriguez, Jackie Adamle, Maggie Duncan, Casey Kelly, Tessa Scott, Mary Slattery. It marks the end of an era that saw measured improvement in a culture of pursuing excellence within the Kansas rowing program.

“They have done a good job in changing the culture of the team – it is more of a winning, competitive culture,” Catloth said. “Every year it has improved in that direction. Our seniors have brought a serious, work-hard attitude to the team that has trickled down to the young members of our team. That’s a great legacy to leave as seniors.”

First Varsity Eight members Kaelyn Thierolf and Maggie Duncan were named to the All-Big 12 Team, which was revealed during the awards presentation after the races. It is the first All-Big 12 honor for both Thierolf and Duncan. The 20-member team includes two coxswains and 18 rowers.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Team Scores – Big 12 Institutions
1. Texas (137)
2. Oklahoma (115)
3. Kansas (82)
4. K-State (74)
5. West Virginia (57)

Team Scores – Big 12 Automatic Qualifiers (AQ)
1. Texas (48)
2. Oklahoma (41)
3. Tennessee (34)
4. Kansas (27)
5. K-State (21)
6. Old Dominion (18)
7. Alabama (15)
8. West Virginia (12)

Kansas Grand Final Results, May 15 (AQ Place / Big 12 Place)
3V8 – 7:28.077 (5th / 4th)
2V4 – 7:54.414 (3rd / 3rd)
1V4 – 7:47.353 (4th / 3rd)  
2V8 – 7:04.303 (4th / 3rd)
1V8 – 6:55.392 (5th / 4th)

BIG 12 ROWING ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

WVU – Elizabeth Kantak
Alabama – Olivia Dennis
Old Dominion – Colleen Rennie
Kansas State – Madi Haney
Kansas – Kaelyn Thierolf
Kansas – Maggie Duncan
Tennessee – Taylor Upson
Tennessee – Pari Baker
Tennessee – McDarragh Minnock
Oklahoma – Katie Ognovich
Oklahoma – Victoria Wallace
Oklahoma – Elena Sloan
Oklahoma – Maegan Neihart
Texas – April Brown
Texas – Mariam Soufi
Texas – Emily Froehlich
Texas – Pippa Loveard
Texas – Gia Doonan
Oklahoma –  Nicasia D’Allesandro (coxswain)
Texas – Katie Betsill (coxswain)

KANSAS BOATING ASSIGNMENTS

First Varsity Eight (1V8)
“Sue Anderson”
Coxswain: Mary Slattery
8: Maggie Duncan
7: BriAnna Dittberner
6: Kaelyn Thierolf
5: Allison Schaaf
4: Tessa Scott
3: Margret Winter
2: Jordan Helms
1: Maddie Irelan

Second Varsity Eight (2V8)
“Jayhawk Nation”
Coxswain: Kenzie Obrochta
8: Angie Allen
7: Kat Young
6: Kayla Stubblefield
5: Angie Flores
4: McKayla Ross
3: Lexie Lanphere
2: Kaitlyn Hartnett
1: Meghan Karoly

Third Varsity Eight (3V8)
“Quiet Beast”
Coxswain: Abby Lane
8: Kristen Underhill
7: Bailey Brandon
6: Jackie Adamle
5: Keaton Poppe
4: Regan McComb
3: Emily Ruble
2: Regan Braun
1: Madi Hovis

First Varsity Four (1V4)
“Amelia”
Coxswain: Mallory Miller
4: Bailey Blood
3: Ally Fullerton
2: Peyton Anderson
1: Lilly Stewart

Second Varsity Four (2V4)
“Mawson’s Mission”
Coxswain: Bailey Coolidge
4: Mackenzie Klaver
3: Casey Kelly
2: Kylee Dewey
1: Brittney Railsback

KANSAS IN THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP

Year – Place (Points)
2009 – 3rd (45)
2010 – 3rd (92)
2011 – 4th (54)
2012 – t-3rd (65)
2013 – 3rd (81)
2014 – 3rd (102)
2015 – 4th (80)
2016 – 3rd (82)

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