POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (May 18, 2010) -- After capping the 2009-10 season with a first place finish at the largest collegiate regatta in the nation, the Vassar College women's rowing varsity 8 earned a No. 14 ranking in Division III. The Brewers, who were unranked the prior week, jumped into the top 15 ahead of Liberty League foe Skidmore College.
Vassar's varsity 8 had an impressive showing in its season finale at the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, PA as the Brewers rowed the best race of their season en route to winning the Division III Championship. The Dad Vail Regatta features over 100 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada.
The victorious varsity 8 featured senior captain
Christina Peltier (stroke), sophomore
Hannah Siebens (7 seat), junior
Alina von Korff (6 seat), sophomore Kamela Caschette (5 seat), senior #Nicole Clark# (4 seat), senior captain Caroline Jolley (3 seat), junior Kate Frost (2 seat), freshman Emma Russell (bow), and sophomore Jessica Panico at coxswain.
The Brewers were among six teams to advance to the grand final event, topping the field with a time of 7:55.490 to beat out second place University of Rochester (8:00.396) with Mary Washington University (8:15.952) rounding out the top three. Skidmore College – which finished second and one spot ahead of Vassar at this year's Liberty League Championship – placed fourth on Saturday (8:23.272), while Washington College (8:29.542) finished fifth and Marietta University was excluded.
Women's NCAA Division III Eights Rankings
Team (1st-Place Votes) Points Previous Week
1. Williams College (9) 180 1
2. Ithaca College 171 2
3. Trinity College 162 5
4. Bates College 153 3
5. St. Lawrence University 141 4
6. University of Puget Sound 130 6
7. William Smith College 127 8
8. Wellesley College 112 10
9. Mt. Holyoke College 103 7
10. Smith College 93 9
11. Simmons College 80 11
12. Willamette University 79 12
13. University of Rochester 68 14
14. Vassar College 44 NR
15. Skidmore College 42 13
Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: University of Mary Washington 31, Worcester Polytechnic Institute 24, Wesleyan College 8 and United States Coast Guard Academy 7.