Cards Earn Three Wins at SIRA Championship

Saturday, April 19

Oak Ridge, TN

All Day

University of Louisville

SIRA Championship

Photo by: Egan Berne | Louisville Rowing

April 19, 2025 | Rowing

Complete Results

By: Lori Harmon

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – The University of Louisville rowing team wrapped up the 2025 Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta with three gold medals Saturday at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The Cardinals' Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8 and Novice 4 boats take home gold medals with the Varsity 4A earning the silver in the 'A' final and the Varsity B posting a runner-up finish in the 'B' final.

"It was nice to get back on the race course and so close to home especially considering it is finals week," said UofL head coach Derek Copeland. "One of our team goals this year was to be able to race, and win, more events at this regatta. The novice 4 did that and we were able to enter 3 additional 4s in the varsity 4 event. We weren't able to win that one, but we did finish second, fourth and eighth. Both the V8 and 2V8 repeated last year's success too."

After racing to a first-place finish in Friday's time trial, the Cardinals' Varsity 8 led the way again in the semifinal with a time of 6:43.004, more than 16 seconds ahead of second-place Stetson. Louisville took the momentum into the 'A' Final as Olivia Guarnaccia guided Isabella Ulloa, Macy Whisenand, Claire Carver-Ritter, Kaylie Leonard, Grace Rodebaugh, Donata Elez, Mary Noschang and Emma Bell and to a gold medal time of 6:56.871, nearly nine seconds ahead of Kansas State.

The 2V8 captured the gold medal in the 'A' Final as Mackenna Billington coxed Haley Kunz, Ellie Fazio, Taylor Fausey, Clara Jane Van Dyk, Lexi Bernard, Cierra Chavez, Lauren Stedry, Madeline Giron to a time of 7:00.875 besting Kansas State by nearly five seconds. Stetson (7:21.348), High Point, Vanderbilt and Purdue rounded out the field.

The Novice 4 boat claimed the Cardinals' first gold medal of the day, winning the 'A' Final. Madelyn Pleune guided Keira Krebs, Julia Shoemaker, Olivia Koproski and Claudia Smith to a time of 7:59.178, besting Florida Tech (8:05.059). Liberty (8:14.877), Tampa (8:17.753), Washington University (8:27.95) and Texas (8:40.783) rounded out the field.

In the Varsity 4 'A' Final, the Cardinals earned the silver medal with a time of 7:40.342, edging out Kansas State (7:43.657). The C crew placed fourth in the race at 7:54.233, finishing ahead of Tampa (7:55.531) and High Point (7:58.066).

Louisville also placed second in the Varsity 4 'B' Final, finishing behind Kansas State (7:59.093) and ahead of Jacksonville (8:08.129), Rollins (8:09.175), Stetson (8:23.329) and George Mason (8:44.829).

The Cardinals will return to action next weekend when they travel to Raleigh, N.C. for the Lake Wheeler Invitational.

"The team will keep pushing through their finals while preparing for our biggest regular season race of the year at Lake Wheeler Invite next weekend," said Copeland. "We have got to find a lot more speed if we expect better results than last year at that regatta."

2025 SIRA Championship Regatta
Melton Hills Lake, Oak Ridge, Tenn. | Saturday, April 19

Novice 4+ Final
1 – Louisville (7:59.178); 2 – FIT (8:05.059); 3 – Liberty (8:14.877); 4 – Tampa (8:17.753); 5 – WashU (8:27.195); 6 – Texas (8:40.783)
Varsity 4+ A Final
1 – FIT (7:30.342); 2 – Louisville (7:40.342); 3 – Kansas State (7:43.657); 4 – Louisville C (7:54.233); 5 – Tampa (7:55.531); 6 – High Point (7:58.066)
Varsity 4+ B Final
1 – Kansas State (7:59.093); 2 – Louisville (8:05.505); 3 – Jacksonville (8:08.129); 4 – Rollins (8:09.175); 5 - Stetson (8:23.329); 6 – George Mason (8:44.829)
Second Varsity 8+ Final
1 – Louisville (7:00.875); 2 – Kansas State (7:05.098); 3 – Stetson (7:21.348); 4 – High Point (7:26.655); 5 – Vanderbilt (7:31.811); 6 – Purdue (7:45.219)
Varsity 8+ Semifinal
1 – Louisville (6:43.004); 2 – Stetson (6:59.272); 3 – Purdue (7:04.951); 4 – URI (7:07.272); 5 – Rollins (7:10.763).
Varsity 8+ Finals
1 – Louisville (6:56.871), Kansas State (7:05.794); 3 – Vanderbilt (7:07.361); 4 – High Point (7:10.257); 5 – Stetson (7:14.206); 6 – Purdue (7:25.210).

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 4+ B
4 Graycen West
3 Bria Ragauckas
2 Neala Marshall
1 Lexi Schneider
Coxswain - Cecilia Kern

Varsity 4+ C
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
8 - Isabella Ulloa
7 - Macy Whisenand
6 - Claire Carver-Ritter
5 - Kaylie Leonard
4 - Grace Rodebaugh
3 - Donata Elez
2- Mary Noschang
1 - Emma Bell