Duke Coxswain goes swimming!

Duke’s Varsity Eight Named ACC Crew Of The Week

April 13, 2010

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke rowing team’s varsity eight was named ACC Crew of the Week after winning the Grand Final at the Knecht Cup in Camden, N.J.

The group, composed of Justine Hong (coxswain), Emily Theys, Rory Erickson-Kulas, Alex Japhet, Laura Sciarrino, Kathy Smithwick, Kathryn Lowry, Caroline Fox and Stephanie Rosser, won all three varsity eight races at the two-day Knecht Cup, including the Grand Final where they turned in a time of 6:34.44.

The V8 opened the Knecht Cup on Friday by winning the first heat with a time of 6:51.30 before advancing past the semifinal with a time of 6:36.16. From there, they turned in their best time of the weekend at 6:34.44 in the Grand Final to win gold. Their time in the Grand Final was just under five seconds faster than runner-up Buffalo (6:39.13).

All but one member of the varsity eight – Japhet, who is a junior – are freshmen or sophomores.

Six members of that boat also won two gold medals over the weekend, as Lowry, Japhet, Sciarrino and Rosser teamed up to win the open quad, and Smithwick and Erickson-Kulas paired up to win the varsity pair.

Duke’s varsity eight is the first Blue Devil boat to earn ACC Crew of the Week honors since March 19, 2007.

The Blue Devils will look to keep that momentum going heading into the ACC Championship on April 24 in Clemson, S.C.