David Cronin and Scott Wike retained their PCRC men's pair title.

May 19, 2008

Rancho Cordova, CA - LMU rowing is peaking at the right time as the Lions came back with four golds and two silvers from the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships held Saturday at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, CA. Senior Jill Austin accounted for two golds and a silver while the men's pair of David Cronin and Scott Wike defended their title from last year with another gold. The women's openweight four and lightweight four also brought home top honors.

With temperatures that at times topped 100 degrees, the Lions handled themselves well against the elements and competition. "The team did a really great job over the past few weeks maintaining its training while going through finals and then graduation," Coordinator of Rowing Patrick Kelly said. "The athletes' performances this weekend were top-notch and something they can carry with them through their summer preparation for next season."

Cronin and Wike got the day started in winning fashion, comfortably taking the men's pair event with a 17-second victory over a crew from UC Davis. The victory gave Cronin and Wike back-to-back PCRC titles to go along with their second-place finish at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta two weeks ago.

Cronin and Wike's performance qualifies them for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship regatta to be held June 5-7 on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ. It will be the first time that LMU will send a men's boat to the IRA nationals since the open four took eighth in the nation in 1999.

"Both of the guys' spirits are high as we continue to build speed and work on the `feel' of rowing the pair," Men's Coach Brooks Jones said. "This is a huge opportunity for the men's program and it is great to get an LMU men's boat back in the IRA finals."

"The light eight performed well today against some very tough competition and it was great to see these girls keeping an open-water lead over our fellow WCC team, Santa Clara," Women's Coach Sara-Mai Conway said. "We are excited about the growth of lightweight rowing in the region and these girls are eager to build on this momentum next season."

In the women's open eight LMU rowed a young line-up of underclassmen, as the seniors have gone home for the summer. The group finished in the silver medal position, seven seconds behind UC San Diego. With no seniors competing in the openweight division, this race provided valuable experience for a boat full of student-athletes who will be returning next fall.

As the long, hot day of competition wore on and a strong headwind began to blow, LMU seemed to get better. Mid-day, Jill Austin outpaced a pair of singles from UC San Diego for her first gold of the day after taking the silver in the lightweight eight earlier.

"We are happy to have our lightweights involved with some sculling. Jill will be racing the single this summer in her quest for a spot on the national team as a lightweight sculler," Conway said. "It is great that LMU is able to provide her with the opportunity to keep up with her sculling technique."

In the day's biggest field, the women's open four, LMU fought hard through a tough field of seven boats to win by over a boat length ahead of Sacramento State.

"This was a great win and a great way for these women to end their season," Kelly said. "The top three boats were trading back and forth all the way down the course. Our Lions showed great tenacity and trust in the race plan as they pulled ahead in the last 300 meters."

In the day's final race, Austin returned to the water for her second gold and third medal of the day, this time in the lightweight four alongside Jen Glassman, Mary Foster, Liz LaLonde, and cox Jen Guess. The LMU crew showed it is ready for the IRA Nationals next month with a 43-second win over UCSD.

"This is our last competition before the national championships. The group raced confidently today and we will build on that over the next few weeks," Conway said.

While every other LMU team has left for summer vacation, the women's lightweight four and men's pair will continue to practice as they gear up for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships June 5-7 in Camden, NJ. Last year, the Lions sent the women's lightweight eight to nationals, placing ninth overall. LMU's lightweight four won the national championship in 1981 and 1989.

Men's Pairs:
1. LMU, 7:23.5
2. UC Davis, 7:40.7

Women's Lightweight 8:
1. Stanford, 6:56.7
2. LMU, 7:19.9
3. Santa Clara, 7:27.3

Women's Openweight 8:
1. UC San Diego, 7:17.8
2. LMU, 7:24.9
3. River City, 7:33
4. Bair Island, 8:31

Women's Single:
1. LMU, 8:55.5
2. UC San Diego, 9:46.4
3. UC San Diego, 9:58.2

Women's Openweight 4:
1. LMU, 8:16.7
2. Sacramento State, 8:20.3
3. Cal, 8:24.1
4. Western Washington, 8:27.2
5. USC, 8:38.5
6. UC San Diego, 8:51.8
7. Bair Island, 10:00.2

Women's Lightweight 4:
1. LMU, 8:13.7
2. UC San Diego, 8:56.2