Cards Send Four to Saturday's 'A' Finals at SIRA Championships

Friday, April 18

Oak Ridge, TN

All Day

University of Louisville

SIRA Championship

Photo by: Egan Berne | Louisville Rowing

Cards Send Four to Saturday's 'A' Finals at SIRA Championships

April 18, 2025 | Rowing

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville rowing team opened the 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta with a strong showing, sending four boats to Saturday's 'A' Final.

The Cardinals' Novice 4+, Second Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ A boats all claimed the top spot in their respective semifinals while the Varsity 4+ C boat finished third, also advancing to the 'A' Final. The Varsity 4+ B crew placed fourth and will compete in the 'B' Final. Louisville's Varsity 8+ earned a first-place finish in its time trial with its semifinal taking place Saturday morning. Find the full results here.

Time Trials
The Novice 4 boat got the day started by placing first in its time trial, clocking in at 7:00.547 to lead the field of 14.

The 2V8 crew followed suit in its time trial, finishing first in a field of 12 with a time of 6:16.102, edging out Kansas State (6:17.406).

In the Varsity 4 time trial, the Cardinals' V4 boat placed second behind Florida Tech with a time of 7:00.189, with the Louisville B crew finishing third at 7:13.574 and the Varsity 4 C boat placing sixth (7:20.455) out of 14 boats.

The Cardinals Varsity 8 raced to a first place showing in a field of 11, clocking in at 6:09.657 nearly six seconds ahead of High Point. The will return to action in their semifinal race slated for Saturday at 8:21 a.m.

Semifinals
In the evening semifinal, the Novice 4, again led the way as Madelyn Pleune coxed Keira Krebs, Julia Shoemaker, Olivia Koproski and Claudia Smith to a time of 8:36.103, well ahead of second-place Washington University (8L58.091). They will return to action in the 'A' Final Saturday at 10:21 a.m.

The 2V8 boat also charged ahead in the semifinals, finishing first with a time of 7:15.092, more than 20 seconds ahead of Stetson's second place showing. Mackenna Billington guided Haley Kunz, Ellie Fazio, Taylor Fausey, Clara Jane Van Dyk, Lexi Bernard, Cierra Chavez, Lauren Stedry, Madeline Giron to a spot in Saturday's 'A' Final which is slated to start at 12:13 p.m.

In the Varsity 4 semifinals, the Cardinals' A boat raced to a first place finish as to lead the way as Hannah Cease coxed Stella Mancini, Alana Cureton, Kate Eisenbeis and Margot Kaufman to a time of 7:44.589 as a trio of Louisville boats appeared among the top four. The C crew placed second at 7:58.177 while the B crew finished fourth (8:05.644). The A and C boats advanced to Saturday's 'A' Final at 11:38 a.m. while the B crew will compete in the 'B' Final at 11:31 a.m.

2025 SIRA Championship Regatta
Melton Hills Lake, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Friday, April 18

Time Trials
Novice 4+
1 – Louisville (7:00.547); 2 – FIT (7:02.299); 3 – Tampa (7:15.397); 4 – WashU (7:18.258); 5 – Texas (7:21.232); 6 – Georgia Tech (7:29.816); 7 – Liberty (7:30.900); 8 – North Georgia (7:33.669); 9 – Purdue (7:38.700); 10 – Duke (7:39.864); 11 – William & Mary (7:40.978); 12 – Tulane (7:45.978); 13 – Murray State (7:51.416); 14 – Northwestern State (7:59.918)

Second Varsity 8+
1 – Louisville (6:16.102); 2 – Kansas State (6:17.406); 3 – High Point (6:23.517); 4 - Stetson (6:31.669); 5 – Vanderbilt (6:37.881); 6 – Purdue (6:56.202); 7 – Florida (7:08.059); 8 – Georgia Tech (7:08.688); 9 – George Mason (7:20.260); 10 – UD Women (7:24.510); 11 – William & Mary (7:29.188); 12 – Virginia Tech (7:38.399)

Varsity 4+
1 – FIT (6:46.240); 2 - Louisville A (7:00.198); 3 – Louisville B (7:13.574); 4 – Kansas State (7:14.886); 5 – Tampa (7:17.843); 6 – Louisville C (7:20.455); 7 – High Point (7:22.789); 8 – Kansas State B (7:26.279); 9 – Jacksonville (7:28.182); 10 – Rollins (7:30.853); 11 – Stetson (7:44.234); 12 – George Mason (7:55.051); 13 – High Point B (7:56.906); 14 – George Mason B

Varsity 8+
1 – Louisville (6:09.657); 2 – High Point (6:15.571); 3 – Vanderbilt (6:22.831); 4 – Stetson (6:28.468) 5- Purdue (6:29.373); 6 – George Mason (6:32.231); 7 – Kansas State (6:34.053); 8 – Rollins College (6:34.456); 9 – URI (6:35.216); 10 – WashU (6:39.097); 11- UD Women (6:43.408)

Semifinals
Novice 4+
1 – Louisville (8:36.103); 2 – WashU (8:58.091); 3 – Texas (9:03.511); 4 – North Georgia (9:16.573); 5 – Purdue (9:17.493); 6 – Tulane (9:25.750)

Second Varsity 8+
1 – Louisville (7:15.092); 2 – Stetson (7:35.458); 3 – Vanderbilt (7:48.753); 4 – Georgia Tech (7:58.736); 5 – George Mason (8:35.534); 6 – Virginia Tech (9:01.205)

Varsity 4+
1 - Louisville (7:44.589); 2 - Louisville C (7:58.177); 3 - High Point (7:58.655); 4 - Louisville B (8:05.644); 5 - Rollins (8:10.811); 6 - Stetson (8:19.945); 7 - High Point B (8:20.224)

Louisville Lineups
Novice 4+
4 Keira Krebs
3 Julia Shoemaker
2 Olivia Koproski
1 Claudia Smith
Coxswain - Madelyn Pleune

Varsity 4+
4 Angels Ventura Rodriguez
3 Gabriella Allen
2 Bradlie Hicks
1 Emilie Moreira
Coxswain - Leah Watters

Varsity B 4+
4 Graycen West
3 Bria Ragauckas
2 Neala Marshall
1 Ali Matthews
Coxswain - Cecilia Kern

Varsity C 4+
4 Stella Mancini
3 Alana Cureton
2 Kate Eisenbeis
1 Margot Kaufman
Coxswain - Hannah Cease

Second Varsity 8 +
Coxswain – Mackenna Billington
8 - Haley Kunz
7 – Ellie Fazio
6 - Taylor Fausey
5 - Clara Jane Van Dyk
4 - Lexi Bernard
3 - Cierra Chavez
2 - Lauren Stedry
1 - Madeline Giron

Varsity 8+
Cosxwain- Olivia Guarnaccia
Isabella Ulloa
Macy Whisenand
Claire Carver-Ritter
Kaylie Leonard
Grace Rodebaugh
Donata Elez
Mary Noschang
Emma Bell