Women's Rowing 4/12/2024 10:45:00 AM Chris Brannick

Top-Ranked UCO Races In Knecht Cup Regatta Saturday In New Jersey

Bronchos Are One Of Five Top 10 Teams Racing This Weekend

CHERRY HILL, N.J. – No. 1 Central Oklahoma in the northeast this weekend for the prestigious Knecht Cup Regatta, with a pair of races scheduled for Saturday afternoon getting the event started for the Bronchos.

UCO will race its Varsity 4+ boat at 2:04 p.m. (Eastern). Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, Pittsburgh, Assumption, and Embry-Riddle will also be on the water with the Bronchos. There are three heat races, two following Central's start. The first-place boat from each heat, plus the next three fastest times, will advance to Sunday's Grand Final. The six best times after that will advance to Sunday's Petite Final.

Sydney Large will head up the fours in the coxswain seat, with Carlota Martinez, Hope Brooks, Sawyer Schreiner and Keyna Swoosh in the lineup.

Central Oklahoma will race its Varsity 8+ boat at 3:28 p.m. in heat three of that event. The Bronchos will see Barry, Seattle Pacific, and Mercyhurst. The same qualification standards are in place for the eighth, with the three heat winners and the next three fastest going to Sunday's Grand Final.

Emily Overholt continues to lead the UCO eights and the All-American coxswain will again this weekend. Lauren Clark, Victoria Petschnig, Raphaela Sanchez, Faith Brooks, Anya Landrowski, Samantha Hutchings, Sinead Quirke, and Rachel Harris will join Overholt to make up this weekend's lineup.

"We are excited to be back in New Jersey this weekend," UCO head women's rowing coach Jen Gilbert said. "It almost feels like we're coming back to our home away from home as we traveled here for both the Knecht Cup plus NCAAs last year. We've completed our most recent round of trials in the Boathouse and have had some lineup plus-side shuffles as expected. It is incredibly tight within the Boathouse this year for seats so we're eager to see how these new lineups perform again the six other visiting Division II schools.

"The Varsity 4+ event has shown there is speed coming from all conferences so this weekend we will see how we stack up against them," Gilbert continues. "In the 8+ we have drawn powerhouse Mercyhurst for the heat. They bested us at this event last year in the final, and always have incredibly strong eights. We fully expect that their 8+ is one of the fastest in the country right now so are looking forward to the challenge."

Central Oklahoma started its spring season with three wins against Creighton in Oklahoma City. The Bronchos then picked up two wins at Seattle Pacific's Falcon Regatta in Washington last month. UCO raced exhibition contests last weekend against Wichita State and Oklahoma State.

UCO is ranked No. 1 in this week's CRCA national poll. The Bronchos were third in the preseason and second for a couple of weeks before returning to the top spot for the first time this season last week.

This weekend's Knecht Cup Regatta features the top ranked Bronchos, No. 3 Seattle Pacific, No. 5 Embry-Riddle, No. 6 Mercyhurst, No. 7 Thomas Jefferson, and No. 8 Barry.

UCO has one regular season event left on the schedule following this weekend's trip to New Jersey. Central Oklahoma and OU will meet up in OKC May 4. The 2024 GNAC Championships are scheduled for May 18 in Sacramento, Calif., and the 2024 NCAA Division II Women's Rowing National Championships are scheduled for May 31 – June 1 in Bethel, Ohio.

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Players Mentioned

Faith Brooks: 5' 8"; Senior

Hope Brooks: 5' 9"; Senior

Lauren Clark: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Samantha Hutchings: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Anya Landrowski: 5' 10"; Junior

Sydney Large: 5' 4"; Graduate Student

Emily Overholt: 4' 2"; Senior

Victoria Petschnig: 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Sinead Quirke: 5' 6"; Junior

Raphaela Sanchez: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Faith Brooks
: 5' 8"; Senior

Hope Brooks
: 5' 9"; Senior

Lauren Clark
: 5' 7"; Sophomore

Samantha Hutchings
: 5' 6"; Sophomore

Anya Landrowski
: 5' 10"; Junior

Sydney Large
: 5' 4"; Graduate Student

Emily Overholt
: 4' 2"; Senior

Victoria Petschnig
: 5' 6"; Graduate Student

Sinead Quirke
: 5' 6"; Junior

Raphaela Sanchez
: 5' 9"; Sophomore