March 20, 2012

The University of Minnesota's first varsity four garnered Co-Big Ten Boat of the Week honors Tuesday afternoon for its performance at the season-opening Oak Ridge Invitational last weekend. The Golden Gophers share the week's accolade with Indiana's first varsity eight.

During the event, the 1V4 claimed two victories and one runner-up finish racing against Buffalo, Kansas, Notre Dame, Virginia and Duke to earn a share of the first league honor of the year.

Made up of coxswain Jacqueline Stein, Nicolette Marquardt, Jaime Friscia, Chelsea Miller and Melissa Drezdzon, the first varsity four defeated second-place Buffalo by 14 seconds in 7:17.30 in the morning session, before Stein, Miller, Friscia, Marquardt and Sarah Sobek did the same in the afternoon session. The squad finished 14.28 seconds ahead of the Fighting Irish with a time of 7:13.20 to claim first-place honors.

Stein, Miller, Friscia, Marquardt and Drezdzon concluded the Oak Ridge Invitational by defeating Duke with a time of 7:13.75 for second place behind Virginia.

Minnesota last earned a Big Ten Boat of the Week accolade on March 22, 2011, when the second varsity eight was honor by the conference.

The Gophers are back in action March 24, when they travel to Iowa City, Iowa for a Big Ten match-up with the Hawkeyes.

-UM-