All Five Boats to Advance to A Finals at SIRA Championship

Saturday, April 18

Oak Ridge, TN

University of Louisville

SIRA Championship

All Five Boats to Advance to A Finals at SIRA Championship

April 18, 2026 | Rowing

Every boat the Cardinals fielded on Saturday advanced to their respective Sunday A Finals

By: Dana Brown

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – University of Louisville rowing had a strong outing on the water on the first day of the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship. Every boat that raced for the Cardinals advanced to their respective Sunday A Finals.

Louisville's Varsity 8 boat turned in top times all day, finishing first in its preliminary heat with a time of 6:41.783 and followed it up with a 6:52.392 in the afternoon semifinal. The boat led by coxswain Olivia Guarnaccia also includes Cardinals Macy Whisenand, Claire Carver-Ritter, Anna Brennan, Haley Kunz, Grace Rodebaugh, Emma Bell, Clara Jane Van Dyk and Lexi Bernard. That crew will row in the A Final at 12:28 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

The 2V8 and 3V8 boats both advanced to the A final of their event after finishing first and third, respectively, in their heat on Saturday morning. The boats raced side by side in the prelims and the 2V8 turned in Louisville's second-best time of the day at 6:48.647 while the 3V8 finished in 7:01.585.

Louisville's 2V8 and 3V8 boats will both race in the A Final of the Second Varsity 8+ (Club & Open) event at 11:30 a.m.

The Cardinals' two Varsity 4 boats competed in different heats in the morning outing. The V4A, crewed by Angels Ventura Rodriguez, Ellie Fazio, Addie Clark, Keira Krebs and coxswain Zoe Desserich, won its prelim heat at 7:39.669 and its semifinal at 8:04.907.

Louisville's Varsity 4 B boat, led by coxswain Victoria Grayson, Olivia Koproski, Stella Mancini, Claudia Smith and Wilkey Smith, finished second in its preliminary heat and fourth in its semifinal. Both the V4A and V4B will race in the A Final at 11:02 a.m. Sunday.

The Novice 4+ boat will kick off action for the Cardinals with its lone finals race at 9:52 a.m.

Saturday Morning Prelims
Varsity 8
1 – Louisville (6:41.783); 2 – Jacksonville (6:52.580); 3 – Purdue (7:05.505); 4 – Stetson (7:10.221); 5 – Toledo (7:17.655); 6 – Drake (7:30.866)

Second Varsity 8 (Club & Open Race)
1 – Louisville 2V8 (6:48.647); 2 – Duquesne (7:01.210); 3 – Louisville 3V8 (7:03.585); 4 – Purdue (7:09.546); 5 – Vanderbilt (7:12.001); 6 – William & Mary (8:43.093)

Varsity 4
1 – Louisville A (7:39.669); 2 – Jacksonville (7:52.945); 3 – Duquesne (7:53.016); 4 – Rollins (7:54.982); 5 – Stetson (8:00.285)

1 – Jacksonville (7:53.556); 2 – Louisville B (8:01.187); 3 – Tampa (8:04.836); 4 – Barry (8:31.027)

Saturday Afternoon Semifinals
Varsity 8
1 – Louisville (6:52.392); 2 – Duquesne (7:15.271); 3 – Kansas State (7:20.920); 4 – UD (7:25.745); 5 – Toledo (7:25.757); 6 – Drake (7:55.588)

Varsity 4
1 – Louisville A (8:04.907); 2 – Jacksonville A (8:11.236); 3 – Jacksonville B (8:20.372); 4 – Duquesne B (8:26.963); 5 – Stetson (8:29.532); 6 – Tampa (8:31.308); 7 – Rollins (8:55.670)

1 – Kansas State (8:05.821); 2 – Duquesne A (8:09.652); 3 – Jacksonville (8:15.909); 4 – Louisville B (8:17.675); 5 – Barry (8:18.962); 6 – Rollins (8:19.788); 7 – Tampa B (9:24.719)

Lineups
Varsity 8
Coxswain – Olivia Guarnaccia
8 – Macy Whisenand
7 – Claire Carver-Ritter
6 – Anna Brennan
5 – Haley Kunz
4 – Grace Rodebaugh
3 – Emma Bell
2 – Clara Jane Van Dyk
1 – Lexi Bernard

Second Varsity 8
Coxswain – Hannah Cease
8 – Mary Noschang
7 – Lauren Stedry
6 – Cierra Chavez
5 – Katherine Cromly
4 – Maya Lawrie
3 – Bradlie Hicks
2 – Jana Berelsmann
1 – Dorka Szabo

Third Varsity 8
Coxswain – Madelyn Pleune
8 – Alana Cureton
7 – Graycen West
6 – Kate Eisenbeis
5 – Addison Sorrell
4 – Bria Ragauckas
3 –Lexi Schneider
2 – Julia Shoemaker
1 – Stella Scott

Varsity 4A
4 – Angels Ventura Rodriguez
3 – Ellie Fazio
2 – Addie Clark
1 – Keira Krebs
Coxswain – Zoe Desserich

Varsity 4B
4 – Olivia Koproski
3 – Stella Mancini
2 – Claudia Smith
1 – Wilkey Smith
Coxswain – Victoria Grayson