#1 Texas Rowing Sweeps Ninth Consecutive Big 12 Championship

SARASOTA, Fla. – No. 1 Texas Rowing swept six races in record-setting fashion at the Big 12 Championship to win a ninth consecutive conference crown on Sunday morning at Nathan Benderson Park. The victory marked the 13th conference title in program history and the sweep was the Longhorns’ ninth consecutive at the conference regatta.

“We knew we’d be challenged today, so I’m really impressed with the way the entire team responded,” said Texas head coach Dave O’Neill. “All six crews did exactly they have trained so hard for, and everyone is really proud of each other.

“I give a lot of credit to all six of our strokes. Each of them set a long, powerful rhythm that truly made the difference throughout.”

The clean sweep netted the Longhorns 112 points in the final Big 12 team standings and automatically qualified UT for the NCAA Championships. Texas’ speed was on full display, as the Longhorns established Big 12 Championship records in all five of the scored races.

Texas kicked off the scoring at the Big 12 Championships with a convincing victory in the Third Eight, crossing the line 6:29.146, over six seconds ahead of runner-up Tennessee. After a delayed start due to technical issues in the Kansas State boat, Kansas jumped out early lead and was followed closely by Oklahoma. Texas responded quickly and overtook the KU and OU in the first 250 meters. Tennessee rose to the challenge and joined the Longhorns at the front of the pack, sitting in second at the 500-meter mark. The Longhorns pushed ahead over the next quarter of the race, leading by a boat length at the midway mark, and extended the lead through the finish to win by open water, followed by Tennessee in 6:35.268 with Alabama placing third in 6:44.391.

In the II Four, Tennessee took command of the race early and was in control of the pace for the first half of the race, leading at the midway mark. The Longhorns rallied over the middle portion of the course, pushing in front during the third 500 meters and cruising to the finish to win in 7:00.790, two boat lengths ahead of Tennessee in 7:05.406, while Alabama rounded out the top three with a time of 7:23.087.

“Alex Rollins in the third eight and Daniela Thiermann in the second four might be young, but they raced like they had years of experience. They were awesome,” O’Neill said.

Next up in the I Four, Tennessee once again jumped out in front, taking a two-seat lead in the first 100 meters and maintaining the advantage through the first 750. The Longhorns started reeling in the Volunteers just ahead of the 1,000-meter mark, then slowly extended the lead over the reminder of the course to win by open water in 6:50.306. Tennessee took second in 6:56.414 and Alabama crossed the line in 7:05.608 to place third.

“Nadja Yaroschuk in the first four is always so calm and steady,” O’Neill said. “Once that crew got into their rhythm, they showed some terrific speed.”

In the tightest race in years at the Big 12 Championship, Texas and Tennessee battled wire-to-wire, with Texas leading by a narrow margin throughout. The Longhorns surged just after midway mark and built a three-quarter boat lead as the crews came down the stretch. The Vols made a late charge in the final 500 meters, cutting into the Texas lead, but came up short. Texas picked up the win in 6:08.884, breaking the previous Second Eight championship regatta record by over 10 seconds, followed by Tennessee in 6:10.993. UCF placed third with a time of 6:26.079.

“The two priority eights were certainly challenged, and they stepped up for sure,” O’Neill noted. “Sue Holderness always has plenty of energy, and it’s cool to see her channel it into a powerful, aggressive rhythm.”

Texas locked up the Big 12 title and the NCAA automatic qualifier with a thrilling victory by the First Eight. Tennessee went out quick and took a three-quarter boat length lead over Texas out the shoot and extended it to a full length during the second 500 meters. Texas remained calm and cut the deficit to half a length at the midway mark. It was all Texas from there, as the Longhorns moved in front during the third quarter of the race, leading by a boat length at the 1500-meter mark, then two full lengths at the finish, completing the sweep with a time of 6:08.714. Tennessee was the runner-up in 6:15.334 and Alabama placed third with a time of 6:28.320.

“A theme for us this year had been ‘make your teammates better’ and that might be the greatest strength of the first eight’s stern pair of Mette Nielsen and Lanie Nitsch,” O’Neill said. “They’re a perfect combination of calm, steady, hype and attitude. They’re fun to watch.”

The Longhorns opened the morning with a convincing victory in the III Four exhibition, taking the top spot in 7:27.842, followed by Tennessee in 7:32.690 and Oklahoma in 7:47.267.

“This was Katelyn Semien’s first full race at stroke seat, and that third four got momentum in our favor from the start,” O’Neill said.

Texas next heads to the 2024 NCAA Championship where the Longhorns will look for a third national crown in the last four years. The national championship will take place Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2 in Bethel, Ohio.

“We’ll get back to work tomorrow afternoon, and we’re looking forward to what’s ahead,” O’Neill said.

The NCAA will reveal the rest of the field for the NCAA Championship during the Division I Rowing Selection Show to air on Tuesday, May 21 at 4 p.m. CT on NCAA.com.

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Team Results
1. TEXAS – 112 points
2. Tennessee – 98
3. Alabama – 76
4. UCF – 74
5. Oklahoma – 56
6. Kansas State – 39
7. Kansas – 34
8. West Virginia – 21

I Eight
1. TEXAS – 6:08.714
2. Tennessee – 6:15.334
3. Alabama – 6:28.320
4. UCF – 6:37.476
5. Oklahoma – 6:41.473
6. Kansas – 6:45.769
7. West Virginia – 6:49.972
8. Kansas State – 6:50.256

II Eight
1. TEXAS – 6:08.884
2. Tennessee – 6:10.993
3. UCF – 6:26.079
4. Oklahoma – 6:37.293
5. Alabama – 6:38.869
6. Kansas State – 6:53.162
7. Kansas – 6:58.667
8. West Virginia – 6:59.249

I Four
1. TEXAS – 6:50.306
2. Tennessee – 6:56.414
3. Alabama – 7:05.608
4. UCF – 7:06.912
5. Kansas State – 7:12.282
6. Kansas – 7:33.798
7. Oklahoma – 7:35.704
8. West Virginia – 7:40.538

II Four
1. TEXAS – 7:00.790
2. Tennessee – 7:05.406
3. Alabama – 7:23.087
4. UCF – 7:26.124
5. Oklahoma – 7:30.081
6. Kansas State – 7:32.365
7. West Virginia – 7:42.209
8. Kansas – 7:55.924

III Eight
1. TEXAS – 6:29.146
2. Tennessee – 6:35.268
3. Alabama – 6:44.391
4. Kansas State – 6:46.520
5. Oklahoma – 6:48.647
6. UCF – 6:49.974
7. Kansas – 7:04.640
8. West Virginia – 7:19.754

III Four (exh.)
1. TEXAS – 7:27.842
2. Tennessee – 7:32.690
3. Oklahoma – 7:47.267
4. UCF – 7:56.666
5. Alabama – 7:58.305

LINEUPS
I Eight: Carly Legenzowski (c), Mette Nielsen (stroke), Lanie Nitsch, Anna Jensen, Etta Carpender, Marg Van der Wal, Abby Dawson, Cassandre Korvink-Kucinski, Amber Harwood (bow)

II Eight: Amy Werner (c), Sue Holderness (stroke), Ellie Rodriguez, Rhiannon Luke, Allie Alton, Phoebe Wise, Parker Illingworth, Taryn Kooyers, Paula Becher (bow)

I Four: Janet Goode (c), Nadja Yaroschuk (stroke), Lucy Searle, Katherine Nordheim, Anna Garrison (bow)

II Four: Paris West (c), Daniela Thiermann (stroke), Salma Dessouky, Yasmin Howe, Savvy Jerome (bow)

III Eight: Emma Williams (c), Alex Rollins (stroke), Harriet Wallace, Grace Edgar, Phoebe Robinson, Jen Dugdale, Chloe Cooper, Jessica Jamieson, Alexa Matos (bow)

III Four: Alex Taylor (C), Katelyn Semien (stroke), Meg Vegesena, Hailey Easterly, Carys Luther (Bow)

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