Sooners Take Second at Big 12 Championship

May 15, 2016 | Rowing

By: Micah Thompson

NORMAN – The University of Oklahoma rowing team finished the 2016 Big 12 Championship in second place. The regatta was held on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Sooners finished with 41 points on the day, seven points behind No. 8-ranked Texas. The Longhorns and Sooners were followed by Tennessee (34), Kansas (27), Kansas State (21), Old Dominion (18), Alabama (15) and West Virginia (12).

In addition, five Sooners were named to the All-Big 12 team for their efforts, including Maegan Neihart, Katie Ognovich, Elena Sloan, Victoria Wallace and coxswain Nicasia D'Allesandro.

“I couldn't be more proud of this team,” OU head coach Leeanne Crain said. “They fought hard today against some very strong competition. Our five seniors have been great leaders all year and we are going to miss them. We have a great group returning next season and I'm already looking forward to the 2016-17 season.”

Oklahoma posted four silver medal finishes, taking second place in four of the five grand finals races, including the 3V8, 2V4, 2V8 and the 1V8.

The third varsity eight started off the day with a second-place showing in its division, crossing the line ahead of Alabama, Kansas State, Kansas and Tennessee with a time of 7:10.143. Texas won the race, posting a time of 6:54.234.

The 2V4 finished in 7:43.478 and placed second in front of Kansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Old Dominion. Texas (7:26.529) took the title in the race.

The OU 1V4 crossed the line in 7:44.159 for a third-place finish behind Texas (7:32.187) and Alabama (7:42.360).

Both varsity eight boats finished in second place behind Texas with the 1V8 finishing in front of Tennessee, Kansas State, Kansas and Old Dominion with a time of 6:40.570, and the 2V8 besting Tennessee, Kansas, West Virginia and Old Dominion, crossing the line in 6:54.316.

With Texas earning the automatic qualifier bid to the NCAA Championships, the Sooners would need to be selected as an at-large team, which is announced Tuesday.

RESULTS
1V8
1. Texas (6:27.404)
2. Oklahoma (6:40.570)
3. Tennessee (6:47.173)
4. Kansas State (6:53.263)
5. Kansas (6:55.392)
6. Old Dominion (6:55.940)

2V8
1. Texas (6:41.906)
2. Oklahoma (6:54.316)
3. Tennessee (6:58.522)
4. Kansas (7:04.303)
5. West Virginia (7:13.679)
6. Old Dominion (7:15.242)

1V4
1. Texas (7:32.187)
2. Alabama (7:42.360)
3. Oklahoma (7:44.159)
4. Kansas (7:47.353)
5. Tennessee (7:51.753)
6. Old Dominion (7:58.861)

2V4
1. Texas (7:26.529)
2. Oklahoma (7:43.478)
3. Kansas (7:54.414)
4. Tennessee (7:59.358)
5. Alabama (8:03.445)
6. Old Dominion (8:19.805)

3V8
1. Texas (6:54.234)
2. Oklahoma (7:10.143)
3. Alabama (7:10.885)
4. Kansas State (7:16.798)
5. Kansas (7:28.077)
6. Tennessee (7:34.428)

OU LINEUPS
1V8
C. Nicasia D'Allesandro
S. Mary Anderson
7. Natalie Grimes
6. Elena Sloan
5. Victoria Wallace
4. Maegan Neihart
3. Katie Ognovich
2. Reagan Collins
B. Kalie Heffernan