May 3, 2002
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. -
MEN'S VARSITY 8 RACE (unofficial WCC Championship)
Though not sponsored as a West Coast Conference sport, the six WCC schools which field rowing programs held the first unofficial WCC championship at Lake Natoma race course. The race consisted only of Varsity 8 boats from Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Diego and Santa Clara.
Gonzaga's Varsity 8 won the inaugural race covering the course in a time of 6:14.80. Santa Clara finished second holding off San Diego by two seconds. Loyola Marymount, Saint Mary's and Portland rounded out the finish. The Bulldogs Varsity 8 included coxswain Mara Oblak, Mark Voorhees, Mike Baisch, Brad Hughes, Jeff Kiely, Dave Johnson, Justin Toenes, Nat Hopper and Nathan Wilson.
The Gonzaga University women's crew program won its sixth consecutive West Coast Conference Rowing Title after sweeping the conference championships on Friday afternoon at the 2,000 meter course at Lake Natoma. With the victory Gonzaga continued its streak as the only WCC school to ever win the league's rowing championship title.
Gonzaga won the Varisty 8 race in a time of 6:55.9 to finish nearly eight seconds ahead of second place San Diego. Loyola Marymount finished two seconds behind San Diego with Santa Clara and Saint Mary's rounding out the field. The Bulldogs Varsity 8 consisted of coswain Courtney Haase, Nicole Lustig, Molly Gulsvig, Cynthia Savoca, Breah Neimiec, Jennie Gilpin, Maria Bokulich, Bridget Troy and Christine McKeown.
Gonzaga's Junior Varsity 8 won their race in a time of 7:13.00, finishing 15 seconds ahead of Santa Clara which finished at 7:32.30. Loyola Marymount finished third with San Diego finishing fourth. Saint Mary's did not field a JV 8 crew. Gonzaga's JV 8 consisted of coxswain Courtney Serpa, Alexis Skipitis, Renee Holl, Kristi Aamodt, Jessica Nestor, Jenifer Gehlsen, Karen O'Hagan, Kaylin Rostron and Carolyn Schepper.
The Bulldogs completed the sweep at the women's championship wtih a 13 second victory in the Varisty 4 race. Gonzaga covered the course in 7:59.0 with San Diego placing second at 8:12.55. Santa Clara finished third, Loyola Marymount fourth and Saint Mary's fifth. Gonzaga's Varisty 4 boat included coxswain Melissa Hayes, Cassy Cerny, Sarah Valenti, Bethany Mulhall and Andrea Genord.
Gonzaga also dominated the All-West Coast Conference team placing four members on the All-WCC squad. Nicole Lustig, Maria Bokulich, Breah Neimiec and coxswain Courtney Haase all earned All-WCC honors while head coach Glenn Putyrae earned his third consecutive WCC Coach of the Year honor. Rounding out the All-WCC team were Melissa Pellini (Santa Clara), Christina Sobral (Saint Mary's), Charlie Livingstone (Loyola Marymount), Laura Duryea (San Diego) and Brianna Leissoo (San Diego).
The West Coast Conference Rowing Championships use a weighted point system to determine the league rowing champion with the Varsity 8 race holding the highest point value followed by the JV 8 and Varsity 4. Gonzaga swept all three races to win the league title with 30 points. San Diego claimed its fifth second place finish with 20 points while Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara tied for third place with 17 points each. Saint Mary's finished fifth in the event with four points.
Gonzaga's men's and women's crews will stay in the Sacramento area to compete in the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships on Saturday and Sunday at Lake Natoma. Gonzaga is seeded number one in both the men's and women's Varsity 8 races.
WEST COAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS(Lake Natoma, CA - 2,000 meters)
Men's WCC Race - Varsity 81. Gonzaga - 6:14.802. Santa Clara - 6:18.183. San Diego - 6:20.024. Loyola Marymount - 6:24.795. Saint Mary's - 6:38.386. Portland - 7:17.57
Women Varsity 81. Gonzaga - 6:55.902. San Diego - 7:03.013. Loyola Marymount - 7:05.304. Santa Clara - 7:26.805. Saint Mary's - 8:01.90
Women Junior Varsity 81. Gonzaga - 7:13.002. Santa Clara - 7:32.303. Loyola Marymount - 7:38.184. San Diego - 7:41.995. Saint Mary's - Did not field team
Women Varsity 41. Gonzaga - 7:59.902. San Diego - 8:12.553. Santa Clara - 8:23.534. Loyola Marymount - 8:27.965. Saint Mary's - 8:34.68
Women WCC Championship Results1. Gonzaga - 30 points2. San Diego - 20 pointsT3. Loyola Marymount - 17 pointsT3. Santa Clara - 17 points5. Saint Mary's - 4 points
Women All-WCC TeamCourtney Haase (Cox) - GonzagaNicole Lustig - GonzagaMaria Bokulich - GonzagaBreah Neimiec - GonzagaBrianna Leissoo - San DiegoLaura Duryea - San DiegoMelissa Pellini - Santa ClaraCharlie Livingstone - Loyola MarymountChristina Sobral - Saint Mary'sGlenn Putyrae - Gonzaga (Coach of the Year)
