Pioneer women open spring racing season with strong finish at Mayor’s Cup
Varsity 8 takes second place and Freshmen 8 places fourth

March 15, 2008
TAMPA, Fla. — The Marietta College women’s crew capped off a week of training on Canal 54 in Palm Bay, Fla., with a strong showing at the Mayor’s Cup, which took place Saturday (March 15) at the 1,500m course on the Seddon Channel. The Lady Pioneers had their Varsity 8 finish runner-up while Marietta’s Freshmen 8 placed fourth at the team’s first competition of the spring.

Temple won the Mayor’s Cup trophy after finishing with the most points between its men and women. Jacksonville was second and Yale, who only had its men, finished third. Marietta placed fourth among the ten schools at the competition.

Head Coach Kelly Harris’ Varsity 8 featured senior bow Meredith Hay (Berwick, Maine/Marshwood), senior Amee Epling (Parkersburg, W.Va.), senior Meg Foraker (New Lexington/Culver Academy), sophomore Caitlin Piotrowski (Dublin/Dublin Jerome), freshman Katherine Thomas (Cheswick, Pa./Fox Chapel Area), junior Krista Tkacz (Egg Harbor Twp, N.J.), senior Amanda Chuderewicz (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler), junior stroke Anjouli Dapice (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) and sophomore coxswain Lauren Talasnik (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest). The Lady Pioneers (5:16.1) finished second only to Temple (5:13.1). Jacksonville (5:18.2), Stetson (5:28.3), Emory (5:36.5) and FIT (5:49.8) rounded out the finishers in the V8+.

Marietta’s Freshmen 8, which is coached by assistant Chase Graham, included bow Miki Abitante (Columbia, Md./Atholton), Katherine Thomas (Cheswick, Pa./Fox Chapel Area), Lauren Yanko (Akron/Archbishop Hoban), Emily Davis (Louisville, Ky./J. Graham Brown), Brooke Exley (Phoenixville, Pa.), Michelle Tarracciano (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley Union), Megan Stuhlfauth (Hainesport, N.J./Merion Mercy Academy), stroke Yolien Peeters (Cranberry Twp, Pa./Seneca Valley) and coxswain Stockard Hyjek (Leetsdale, Pa./Quaker Valley). The ladies, competing for the first time as Pioneers, took fourth place in their race. Temple won with Jacksonville and Stetson taking second and third, respectively.

The Pioneers will return to action in two weeks when they host two different regattas. The Marietta Invitational will be held on Saturday (March 29) and the Marietta/Purdue Challenge Cup will take place on Sunday (March 30). Both take place on the Muskingum River.