Women's Rowing 3/8/2024 12:30:00 PM Chris Brannick

Rowing Season Begins Saturday In OKC

Preseason No. 3 Central Oklahoma Hosts Creighton, Tulsa, On Oklahoma River

OKLAHOMA CITY – Central Oklahoma begins its spring championship season Saturday with races against Creighton and Tulsa on the Oklahoma River.

Racing begins at 9 a.m. with the Varsity 8+ contest. A 2V8+ will follow at 9:15 a.m., a Varsity 4+ is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., and a 2V4+ concludes the day at 9:45 a.m.

Central Oklahoma was picked third in the preseason national rankings and second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) preseason coaches' poll. UCO finished the 2023 season as national runners-up.

"It is opening weekend and we are happy to get racing," UCO head rowing coach Jen Gilbert said. "We are excited to see Creighton again, plus this year Tulsa have joined to make it a three-team event. Early spring racing affords us the opportunity to try out different lineups, seating combinations and rowers on particular sides."

Central Oklahoma's veteran experience returning in 2024 includes five All-GNAC performers from a year ago and three returning All-Americans.

UCO's top boat will feature a mix of young and experience rowers this weekend. Senior All-American Emily Overholt will be in the coxswain seat for the eights. Rachel Harris and Carlota Martinez, both freshmen, are in the first and seventh seats. Samantha Hutchings, Raphaela Sanchez, and All-American Lauren Clark, three sophomores, are seated second, third, and eighth. Seniors Anya Landrowski and two-time All-American Faith Brooks, as well as graduate student Victoria Petschnig, will also fill out the boat that races first.

Macie Cohlmia will be in the coxswain seat for the Varsity 4+ race at 9:30 a.m. Sinead Quirke, Keyna Swoosh, Danielle Holle, and Hope Brooks make up the lineup in a veteran boat. Holle is a grad student, Swoosh and Hope Brooks are seniors, and Quirke and Cohlmia are juniors.

Between those two races in the 2V8+, freshman Nasim Malakouti-Nejad will lead the boat from the coxswain seat. Saleana Tipton, Chayse Caram, Katelin Barnett, Sawyer Schreiner, Izzy Brown, Dara Dennis, Peyton Meiler, and Caleah Oliver make up the lineup for the Bronchos.

Central Oklahoma had four events on the schedule for the fall semester, including a race against Tulsa in October. The Bronchos have six dates this spring. After Saturday's races, UCO heads to Seattle, Washington for the Falcon Regatta at Seattle Pacific. The Bronchos are hosting Wichita State and Oklahoma State March 30 in Oklahoma City. UCO will be making its return to the renowned Knecht Cup Regatta in New Jersey April 13-14 before returning home for one more race day against Oklahoma on May 4 in Oklahoma City.

The 2024 GNAC Championships are scheduled for May 18 in Sacramento, Calif. The 2024 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships are also scheduled for May 31-June 1 in Ohio.

Central Oklahoma has put a boat in the national championships 11 times – every year since 2012 minus the canceled 2020 season. UCO won national titles in 2018, 2019, and 2021, and finished runner-up in 2016, 2017, and 2023.

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Players Mentioned

Faith Brooks: 5' 8"; Senior

Hope Brooks: 5' 9"; Senior

Izzy Brown: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Lauren Clark: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Macie Cohlmia: 5' 4"; Junior

Danielle Holle: 5' 6"; Senior

Samantha Hutchings: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Anya Landrowski: 5' 10"; Junior

Peyton Meiler: 5' 3"; Junior

Caleah Oliver: 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Faith Brooks
: 5' 8"; Senior

Hope Brooks
: 5' 9"; Senior

Izzy Brown
: 5' 8"; Sophomore

Lauren Clark
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Macie Cohlmia
: 5' 4"; Junior

Danielle Holle
: 5' 6"; Senior

Samantha Hutchings
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Anya Landrowski
: 5' 10"; Junior

Peyton Meiler
: 5' 3"; Junior

Caleah Oliver
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student