OU Sends All Five Boats to Grand Finals

May 16, 2015 | Rowing

By: Athletics Communications

NORMAN -- The University of Oklahoma rowing team sent all five of its boats into Sunday's grand finals during Saturday afternoon on day one of the Big 12 Championships.

The Sooners got off to a strong start at the Big 12 Championships, qualifying for the grand final in the first varsity eight in the first qualifying race of the day. The Crimson and Cream boat won its heat with a mark of 6:36.37 and qualified second overall for the final.

OU's second varsity eight boat kept the momentum going in the second race of the afternoon, winning its preliminary heat with a time of 6:47.45. The qualifying time earned Oklahoma a trip to the grand final on Sunday with the second best time of the second varsity eights.

The Crimson and Cream made it three-for-three on berths to the grand finals with a second-place qualifying performance from the first varsity four boat. OU won its heat for the third time of the day by crossing the line in 7:24.84 to best Tennessee, Alabama and Old Dominion in its prelim race.

In the second varsity four, the Sooners qualified for the grand finals by finishing third in their heat, fifth overall with a time of 7:41.03.

The qualifying portion of the afternoon ended on a high note for Oklahoma, as the third varsity eight crew crossed the finish line second in its heat with a time of 7:04.75. The finish was fast enough to give the Sooners its fourth boat of the day in Sunday's grand finals.

Day one of the Big 12 Championships was capped off by a non-scored third varsity four race that featured teams from OU, Texas, Kansas and Alabama. The OU boat finished the race second with a mark of 7:56.12.

To qualify for the grand finals, a boat had to finish in the top three of its heat. The final boat in each heat is placed in the petite final and races for seventh and eighth place during Sunday's finals.

Sunday marks the second and final day of the Big 12 Championships with the winner earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Championships. The third varsity eight will start off the day of racing at 8 a.m. CT, followed by the second varsity four (8:20 a.m.), first varsity four (8:40 a.m.), second varsity eight (9 a.m.) and will conclude with the first varsity eight (9:20 a.m.).

The Sooners have claimed each of the last two conference titles, earning 125 points in 2014 to take the crown in the five team field. OU also won the Conference USA titles the previous two years to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships but with the expansion of the Big 12 rowing conference to eight schools the Crimson and Cream no longer compete in C-USA.

To get up to the minute times and results from Sunday's finals follow the live results here.

Follow the official Twitter account for results and inside looks of the team at the Big 12 Championships this weekend @OU_Rowing.

Saturday's lineups are listed below.

First Varsity 8
Rower		Position
	Ashley Carpenter	C
	Jennie O'Grady	S
	Maegan Neihart	7
	Elena Sloan	6
	Stephanie Busse	5
	Abby Griffith	4
	Taylor Spencer	3
	Kellie O'Reilly	2
	Reagan Collins	B

First Varsity 4
Rower		Position
	Rubie Hays	C
	Melissa Patten	S
	Daisy Beals	3
	Katie Ognovich	2
	Stephanie Tapke	B

Third Varsity 8
Rower		Position
	Katie Grantham	C
	Cara Hoelzl	S
	Lauren Bishop	7
	Natalie Grimes	6
	Miranda Rauner	5
	Brooke Benge	4
	Jalyn Yeakley	3
	Elizabeth Tracy	2
	Elizabeth Vernon	B

Second Varsity 8
Rower		Position
	Nicasia D'Allesandro	C
	Victoria Baker	S
	Marissa Beene	7
	Victoria Wallace	6
	Callie Kinsey	5
	Taylor Gillespie	4
	Emmie Preskitt	3
	Kim Moldenhauer	2
	Maddie Wullschleger	B