Women's Rowing 4/2/2023 11:12:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Win Big At FIRA Championships

SARASOTA, Fla. – Central Oklahoma picked up a pair of first-place finishes at the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association (FIRA) Championships Saturday at Nathan Benderson Park.

UCO, which is ranked No. 6 in the country in the latest College Rowing Coaches Association poll, won first in both the Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ races against a group of teams also ranked in the Top 10 in the country.

SEE COMPLETE RESULTS HERE

The fours were up first on Saturday morning and Central Oklahoma earned a big win. The Bronchos crossed the finish line 13 seconds before second-place Embry-Riddle. UCO posted a season-best mark of 7:40.14 in front of second-ranked ERU (7:53), seventh-ranked Rollins College (8:04) and eighth-ranked Barry University (8:18).

UCO coxswain Sydney Large led the fours, with Samantha Hutchings, Danielle Holle, Audra Hempfling, and Peyton Meiler in the boat.

In the Varsity 8+ race Saturday morning, UCO won another gold with a little closer racing. Central Oklahoma finished with another season-best 6:48.80 and ERU was again second, this time five seconds back of the Bronchos. Barry finished third in the eights and Rollins fourth.

Emily Overholt led the V8+ boat with Kenna Chamlee, Lauren Clark, Victoria Petschnig, Sinead Quirke, Hope Brooks, Faith Brooks, Keyna Swoosh, and Raphaela Sanchez in the boat.

UCO had the opportunity at FIRA to put a few additional boats on the water.

In a 2x race, UCO had first and second place finishes. Quirke and Hutchings (7:44.52) took the top spot while Sanchez and Petschnig (7:49.07) finished second. The Bronchos took third and fifth in a 2- race. Chamlee and Faith Brooks (8:17.24) finished third while Swoosh and Clark (8:51.26) finished fifth.

Clark wrapped up the busiest weekend for a Bronchos with a second-place finish in a 1x race (8:56.61).

Central Oklahoma made a statement with its wins in Florida on Saturday. The Bronchos will take a weekend off before heading to New Jersey for the 2023 Knecht Cup Regatta. UCO is also competing in the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships at the end of the month.

The 2023 Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships are scheduled for the middle of May in Oregon and the 2023 NCAA Division II Women's Rowing Championships are set to take place May 26-27 in New Jersey.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Faith Brooks: 5' 8"; Junior; Varsity

Hope Brooks: 5' 9"; Junior; Varsity

Kenna Chamlee: 5' 11"; Graduate Student; Varsity

Audra Hempfling: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Danielle Holle: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Keyna Swoosh: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Peyton Meiler: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Emily Overholt: 4' 2"; Junior; Varsity

Sinead Quirke: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Lauren Clark: 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Faith Brooks
: 5' 8"; Junior; Varsity

Hope Brooks
: 5' 9"; Junior; Varsity

Kenna Chamlee
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student; Varsity

Audra Hempfling
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Danielle Holle
: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Keyna Swoosh
: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Peyton Meiler
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Emily Overholt
: 4' 2"; Junior; Varsity

Sinead Quirke
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Lauren Clark
: 5' 7"; Freshman