Tulsa Advances Varsity 4+ and 2nd Varsity 8+ to Grand Finals at Sunshine State Invitational

Friday, April 5

Sarasota, Fla.

TBA

Tulsa

Sunshine State Invitational

Tulsa Advances Varsity 4+ and 2nd Varsity 8+ to Grand Finals at Sunshine State Invitational

4/5/2019 4:58:00 PM | Rowing

Tulsa's Varsity 4+ earned a second-place mark, while the 2^nd Varsity 8+ turned in a third-place performance in today's Heats to advance to tomorrow's Grand Final races at the Sunshine State Invitational at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla. The Varsity 8+ and 2^nd Varsity 4+ will be competing in the Petite Finals on Saturday morning.

"I thought it was a very solid effort," Head Coach Kevin Harris said. "We clearly have some things to work on as a team, but it was good to get out and race in this championship format. We learned a lot today. I think the team is going after it hard, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow to see what they can do."

Katie Shin, Julia Olawumi, Daniela Fusco-House, Sydney Pirkle and Mikala Burns turned in a second-place time of 7:23.81 in the Varsity 4+. The TU Four trailed Kansas State (7:19.10) by four seconds, but topped SMU (7:32.27), Louisville (7:35.43), Jacksonville (7:37.23) and Miami (7:42.18).

"The Varsity 4+ was in fifth place after the first 500 meters, but really kept their poise and rowed through the back end of the field," Harris said. "We have to do better at the beginning of the race, but the more we race the more we learn. We just need to put in the strokes and get after it."

In the 2^nd Varsity 8+ race, Tulsa was third in a time of 6:43.59, trailing Kansas State (6:39.60) and SMU (6:42.95), but finishing ahead of Louisville (6:52.78), Miami (6:58.37) and Jacksonville (7:06.52).

"I am proud of the 2^nd Varsity 8+," Harris said. "The boat made some good on-the-course changes and it made us better, which was very encouraging to see. Every boat came off the water knowing they have stuff to work on and every boat wants to improve and find more speed."

TU's Varsity 8+ captured a fourth-place time of 6:36.32, finishing ahead of Miami and Jacksonville, but trialing SMU, Louisville and Kansas State. The Golden Hurricane turned in a fifth-place time of 7:41.20 in the 2^nd Varsity 4+ race.

Varsity 8+

1. SMU – 6:29.20
2. Louisville – 6:31.34
3. Kansas State – 6:34.70
4. Tulsa – 6:36.32
5. Miami – 6:42.72
6. Jacksonville – 6:49.60

Varsity 8+
Sam Barber
Helen Leigh
Ellie Russell
Becky Coleman
Veronique Ulrich
Elizabeth McCabe
Sarolta Papp
Sophia Camara
Julia Herrel

2^nd Varsity 8+
1. Kansas State – 6:39.60
2. SMU – 6:42.95
3. Tulsa – 6:43.59
4. Louisville – 6:52.78
5. Miami – 6:58.37
6. Jacksonville – 7:06.52

2^nd Varsity 8+
Madison Bickle
Alessia Ruggiu
Nicole Workman
Bobbi Forster
Karen Undset
Elisa Vandersloot
Madeline Oleksiak
Paige Hallam
Taylah Eder

Varsity 4+
1. Kansas State – 7:19.10
2. Tulsa – 7:23.81
3. SMU – 7:32.27
4. Louisville – 7:35.43
5. Jacksonville – 7:37.23
6. Miami – 7:42.18

Varsity 4+
Katie Shin
Julia Olawumi
Daniela Fusco-House
Sydney Pirkle
Mikala Burns

2^nd Varsity 4+
1. Miami – 7:33.00
2. Kansas State – 7:33.44
3. SMU – 7:34.67
4. Louisville – 7:39.62
5. Tulsa – 7:41.20
6. Jacksonville – 7:46.47

2^nd Varsity 4+
Chloe Henderson
Nichole Backus
Helen Cassellius
Meredith Galloway
Amy Pitzel