Women's Rowing 5/15/2021 2:03:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO Wins Inaugural GNAC Championship

Bronchos Sweep V4+ And V8+ Titles

VANCOUVER, Wash. - The University of Central Oklahoma won the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship Saturday, sweeping both the Varsity 4+ and Varsity 8+ titles to claim a maximum 30 team points and take the title.

Central Oklahoma, ranked No. 1 in the country, won the V4+ title with a time of 7:42.95 before winning the V8+ title with a blistering 6:29.85.

"We raced very well today against some very good teams," UCO head rowing coach Brian Ebke said. "We're thankful for the GNAC for hosting a great event. I'm proud of the team for all of their hard work to get this conference championship. And now we get to go back to nationals and see what we can do in Florida."

SEE COMPLETE RESULTS HERE

UCO's fours, led by Yesenia Gil-Salazar in the coxswain seat, notched a solid 7:42 to take top honors in the race. The Broncho boat of Sage Kroeker, Danielle Dick, Allison Staley, and Kelsey Woellmer collected the first-ever GNAC title for a Varsity 4+ crew.

The Central eights, led by All-American and two-time national champion Madisyn Kitchell in the coxswain seat, had one of its better performances of the year in the first-ever GNAC title for a Varsity 8+ crew. The Broncho boat made up of Kateryna Klymenko, Megan Dwarshuis, Shelby Wackerly, Cameron Blunk, Hope Brooks, Faith Brooks, Keyna Holleman, and Siobhan Quirke won by 21 seconds.

Central Oklahoma also competed in an exhibition Open 4+ Saturday morning before the championship races. UCO took second to SPU with a 2,000-meter time of 8:09.59.

Central Oklahoma will now turn its attention to the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championships in two weeks in Sarasota, Fla. The Bronchos, winners of the team title in 2018 and 2019, have won three consecutive Varsity 8+ national titles (2017, 2018, 2019) and also won the Varsity 4+ national title in 2019.

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Players Mentioned

Cameron Blunk: 5' 7"; Senior; Varsity

Megan Dwarshuis: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Yesenia Gil-Salazar: 5' 3"; Junior; Varsity

Madisyn Kitchell: 5' 6"; Senior; Varsity

Kateryna Klymenko: 6' 0"; Senior; Varsity

Sage Kroeker: 5' 9"; Junior; Varsity

Siobhan Quirke: 5' 3"; Senior; Varsity

Allison Staley: 5' 8"; Junior; Varsity

Shelby Wackerly: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Kelsey Woellmer: 5' 6"; Sophomore; Varsity

Players Mentioned

Cameron Blunk
: 5' 7"; Senior; Varsity

Megan Dwarshuis
: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Yesenia Gil-Salazar
: 5' 3"; Junior; Varsity

Madisyn Kitchell
: 5' 6"; Senior; Varsity

Kateryna Klymenko
: 6' 0"; Senior; Varsity

Sage Kroeker
: 5' 9"; Junior; Varsity

Siobhan Quirke
: 5' 3"; Senior; Varsity

Allison Staley
: 5' 8"; Junior; Varsity

Shelby Wackerly
: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Kelsey Woellmer
: 5' 6"; Sophomore; Varsity