June 1, 2006

Dayton enters the IRA National Championships as the eighth seed in the lightweight eight competition this weekend on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ. UD begins competition with heats on Friday morning followed by Saturday finals. Results from both days can be found at www.row2k.com.

The Flyer lightweight eight is coming off its second straight Dad Vail Championship just two weeks ago and is currently ranked eighth nationally according to the latest USRowing Collegiate Coaches Poll.

"We are seeded eighth and our goal is to make the six-boat Grand Final," UD Head Coach Mike Farrey said. "It is hard for to get a realistic gage of where our speed is currently because this lineup has never rowed together in a regatta. However, with different lineups we finished in the finals of the Knecht Cup and won both the Atlantic 10 Championship and the Dad Vail."

Dayton will send Meghan Riley (bow), Nicki Bianco (2 seat), Katy Jo Brown (3 seat), Addie Patterson (4 seat), Raechelle Smith (5 seat), Annie Dunn (6 seat), Melissa Brandfass (7 seat) and Marie Doenges (stroke seat) to Camden this weekend. Kate Athmer will lead the group as the coxswain.

"We had a very productive couple weeks of practice since the Dad Vail regatta, and the women are focused and anxious to race," Farrey said. "Along with the help of Jim Catanzarite and Derek Copeland, all signs point to a more competitive lightweight eight than what we've fielded so far this year."