The Colgate men’s and women’s crew teams traveled to Philadelphia, PA last weekend to open their 2010 spring seasons at the Murphy Cup Regatta on the Schuylkill River. A Varsity 8 and JV 8 competed for the women’s team, while the men raced a Varsity 4, a Novice 4, and a Varsity 2.

For the first time since the team began racing at Murphy Cup, the women’s V8 boat qualified for the Grand Final with a time of 6:40.7 in their heat. Rowing for Colgate, seniors Lauren Schmetterling and Vicky Hulit, juniors Annabelle Glass, Elspeth Monigle, and Kalin Hennegan, sophomore Shannon Jackson and first-years Natalie Bauman and Kate Thomson, with sophomore Jillian Anderson as coxswain, finished fifth with a time of 6:55.46. The boat was only four seconds behind Navy, their rival in the Patriot League, and they were able to have some overlap throughout the whole race.

The JV 8 finished third in their heat with a time of 6:55.06, with senior Laura Crawford, sophomores Katie Johnescu, Kirsten Kellstrom and Lauren Davis, first-years Larissa Pauli, Katie Rice, Louisa Jelaco and Gabby Cambanis rowing for the Raiders, and with first year Stephanie Hamilton as coxswain.

The men’s team started the day strong with a clear first place finish and a time of 6:28.27 by the V4 in their heat, with the next boat seven seconds behind. Senior Marc Cassone, juniors James Clinton, Sam Walker and Matt Woodrow with sophomore May Bayer as coxswain, competed in the Final, placing first with a time of 6:36.15.

The Novice 4 also placed first in their heat with a time of 7:00.18. Rowing for Colgate, first-years Owen Myers, Stephen Dickinson, Pierre Gross and Frederick Petty, with Robert Hendrickson as coxswain, finished second in the final with a time of 7:04.18.

Sophomore Ben Jones and first-year Spencer Brooks raced as the Varsity 2 boat, finishing third in their heat with a time of 7:45.73 and moving on to the finals, where they placed fifth, crossing the finish line at 8:27.41.

Both teams look forward to competing again this weekend on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ at the Knecht Cup, which is hosted by Villanova.