April 28, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - On Monday, the Bucknell women's rowing varsity eight earned the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week award. The boat posted a first-place showing at Sunday's Patriot League Championship, where it helped lead Bucknell to its third consecutive Patriot League title.

The varsity eight race was the final one of the championship and Bucknell needed to win the event to claim the overall title. Bucknell won the race in convincing fashion, defeating second-place Navy by nearly 15 seconds. The Bison timed in at 6:51.65, while the Mids clocked a time of 7:06.51. The nearly 15 second margin of victory doubled the combined amount of time the Bison had won the varsity eight event by the last two years. In 2006 Bucknell won by just over two seconds and last year it won by five seconds.

With the victory, the varsity eight was named the Patriot League Boat of the Year for the third straight year. This is also the third straight season the varsity eight has copped Bison Athlete of the Week plaudits.

The members and seat positions of the varsity eight were: Jeweliet Yost (coxswain), Jennie Trayes (8), Sophie Bird (7), Katherine Brewster-Duffy (6), Page Kannor (5), Victoria Dudley (4), Carol Schoenecker (3), Caitlin Doolin (2) and Whittney Henry (1).

Yost, Trayes, Brewster-Duffy, Kannor, Doolin and Henry were all members of the 2007 varsity eight that won at the Patriot League Championship, while Trayes, Brewster-Duffy and Kannor have been members of the varsity eight championship boat three straight years. Bird was also a member of the 2006 first-place boat.

The performance of the varsity eight capped a strong day for the Bison. The varsity four and second varsity eight each took second in their races. Bucknell and Navy tied for the overall points crown at the Patriot League Championship, but the Bison, who were tabbed first in the preseason poll, earned the title based on winning the varsity eight event.