University of Louisville
Music City Head Race
Cards Win Four Races at Music City Head Race
October 14, 2025 | Rowing
Louisville logged six top three finishes in lone fall regatta
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Louisville rowing competed in its first and only event of the fall season on Saturday at the Music City Head Race.
Louisville raced a total of 11 boats on Saturday and won every race it competed in. UofL logged four first-place finishes and six top three finishes overall.
"We achieved what we set out to do at the beginning of the day," said associate head coach Ed Oxlade. "Winning each event entered was a solid achievement for this time of the year. We are satisfied with the closing of margins between our own crews this year, compared ot the same competition last year, however we are acutely aware that there is much more to come from this group. The racing in Nashville was an important exposure to to collegiate racing for most of our new Cardinals and we are looking forward to helping them grow in the future."
"Although we do not race openly for the rest of the fall," added Oxlade. "We are excited and hungry to get back to training and really developing our resilience and our ruthlessness when it comes to tight racing, which we anticipate during the spring season. From here, we can get started on the big gains between now and March."
The Cardinals won the Open 8+ race with a time of 15:41.8 – that boat was led by coxswain Olivia Guarnaccia and included Lexi Bernard, Claire Carver-Ritter, Macy Whisenand, Anna Brennan, Sara Sedovsek, Jana Berelsmann, Haley Kunz and Cara Jane Van Dyk. Louisville finished with four of the top five boats in that race, with the third-place boat turning in a time of 16:25.8.
Louisville's women won the Collegiate 4+ after turning in a time of 17:29.8. The boat included coxswain Guarnaccia again with Bernard, Carver-Ritter, Whisenand and Van Dyk all picking up their second victory of the day. The Cards also had the third (17:57.9), fourth (18:33.3) and fifth place (18:33.7) boats in the race.
In their collegiate debut, Louisville's Novice 4+ boat, pacing the field at 17:45.2. The crew included Zoe Desserich (Coxswain), Brennan, Katherine Cromly, Jana Berelsmann and Dorka Szabo.
The Cardinals' Bria Ragauckas and Emilie Moreira also won the Open 2x, beating out Northwestern State with a time of 20:47.1.
"As a senior, I am excited about the way we decided to kick off the season in Nashville," said Emma Bell. "Watching how this team has improved from last season around this time to this one was incredibly motivating, especially given some of our tight racing within the crew and with other teams. I can't wait to see how we respond from this weekend and continue to move forward."
"Racing with Louisville for the first time was incredible," said freshman Anna Brennan. "It was so much fun and such a great learning experience. Now, it's back to work to get faster."
Louisville will return to action in mid-March when the Cardinals host their very own Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Music City Head Race Results – October 11, 2025
Womens Open 8+/Varsity 8
1 – Louisville A (15:41.8); 2 – Vanderbilt (16:25.2); 3 – Louisville B (16:25.8); 4 – Louisville C (16:50.1); 5 – Louisville (17:20.7); 6 – St. Louis (17.41.7); 7 – Virginia Tech (21:33.1)
Womens Collegiate 4+
1 – Louisville A (17:29.8); 2 – Vanderbilt (17:57.9); 3 – Louisville B (17:57.9); 4 – Louisville C (18:33.3); 5 – Louisville E (18:33.7); 6 – Clemson (19:02.4); 7 – UGA (19:02.6); 8 – Louisville F (19:09.6); 9 – Vanderbilt B (19:21.8); 10 – Vanderbilt C (20:19.8); 11 – UGA B (20:32.1); 12 – Tennessee (22:39.2); 13 – Murray State (22:39.4); 14 – UGA C (23:11.1); 15 – Murray State B (24:26.4); 16 – UGA D (27:36.6)
Womens Open 2x
1 – Louisville (20:47.1); 2 – Northwestern State (22:32.4)
Womens Collegiate Novice 4+
1 – Louisville (17:45.2); 2 – Vanderbilt (20:17.3); 3 – Virginia Tech (21:14.0); 4 – Clemson B (21:43.1); 5 – Tennessee (22:04.7); 6 – Northwestern State (27:11.9)
Varsity 8 A – 1st place, 15:41.8
Olivia Guarnaccia (Coxswain)
Varsity 8 B – 3rd place, 16:25.8
Cece Kern (Coxswain)
Varsity 8 C – 4th place, 16:50.1
Hannah Cease (Coxswain)
Varsity 8 D – 5th place, 17:20.7
Kaylee Gallagher (Coxswain)
Collegiate 4 A – 1st place, 17:29.8
Olivia Guarnaccia (Coxswain)
Collegiate 4 B – 2nd place, 17:57.9
Cecilia Kern (Coxswain)
Collegiate 4 C – 4th place, 18:33.3
Zoe Desserich (Coxswain)
Collegiate 4 D – 9th place, 19:42.2
Hannah Cease (Coxswain)
Collegiate 4 E – 5th place, 18:33.7
Victoria Grayson (Coxswain)
Collegiate 4 F – 8th place, 19:09.6
Madelyn Pleune (Coxswain)
Open 2x – 1st place, 20:47.1
Novice 4+ - 1st place, 17:45.2
Zoe Desserich (Coxswain)
Players Mentioned
