United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Women's Crew - Bears Win Pair of Bronze Medals in Season Opener

HARTFORD, CONN.--(10/5/08)--Coast Guard opened the season with strong performances under rainy skies at the Riverfront Recapture Regatta coming away with two bronze medals.

The 1st Varsity 8 started the racing for the Bears capturing bronze behind 2008 DIII National Champions, Trinity, and a mere five seconds behind second place Division I UConn.

The Varsity 8 consisted of Cate Gilllen (Sr), Rory Keegan (Sr), Lauren Milici (Sr), Alyssa Van Delden (Sr), Sarah-Jane Otey (So), Maggie Ward, (Sr), Kate Dacimo (So), Sarah Thompson (Sr), and Amy Harrison (So).

In the afternoon, the Bears entered three boats in the 16 boat Collegiate Varsity Fours race. Doubling out of the eight, Gillen, Milici, Otey, Ward, and Dacimo earned their second Bronze medal, placing 3rd behind two fours from Trinity.

Keegan, Van Delden, Thompson, and Harrison, also doubling out of the morning eights race, teamed with Natalie Shuntich (Fr) to place 7th.

In the final Coast Guard entry, Hilary Grimes (So), Mary Kate Neatrour (So), Yaharia Cervantes (Jr), Amanda Cousart (So), and Nikki Dillinger (Sr) had a solid race, finishing 14th.

In their first collegiate crew race (and for many their first crew race ever), the Novice Women rowed an impressive race but came up just shy of a medal. After 2.5 miles of racing the Bears finished just seven seconds out of 2nd place (USMA) and only 1.5 seconds down to 3rd place Fairfield University.

Sarah Troch (Fr), Kelli Normoyle (Fr), Holly Madden (Fr), Rachel Thomas (Fr), Fallon Bowers (Fr), Katie Ward (Fr), Emily Banglit-Clark (Fr), Katie Preising (Fr), and Juliana Harvin (Fr) will look to close the gap on the competition in future races.

The Bears take to the water again next weekend at the Head of the Housatonic in New Haven.