East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State hosts its only home race of the season on Saturday when it welcomes Miami, Temple, and Tulsa for the Spartan Invitational.
Racing will take place on Lake Ovid in Sleepy Hollow State Park, which was also the site when MSU hosted the Big Ten Rowing Championships in 2010. MSU recently raced on Lake Ovid in a double dual in 2017.
The Spartans are coming off back-to-back weekends of racing in Sarasota, Florida at Nathan Benderson Park. MSU took part in the Sunshine State Invitational in the first weekend of the season (March 31-April 1) and then in the Big Ten Invitational last week (April 7-8).
Spartan Invitational Site: FAQ's, Directions, and Race Schedule
Michigan State's novice eights had strong performances over the two opening weekends, with the novice eight earning two first-place finishes and a second in the Big Ten Invitational while the second novice eight earned a first-, second-, and third-place finishes against a competitive field.
In the opening weekend, the novice eight earned a gold medal, while the first varsity four earned a silver medal and the third varsity four took bronze in their respective grand finals.
Two Spartan shells will make their home debuts this weekend. The varsity eight boat, the Olivia Long '23, made its racing debut in Sarasota. The boat was dedicated last fall in memory of Long, who passed away from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident prior to her junior campaign. Meanwhile, two brand-new varsity four shells were dedicated in November: the Molon Labe (dedicated by the Class of 2024), is the shell for the varsity four, and the Grand Legacy, (dedicated by the Class of 2004), is the boat for the second varsity four.
It is a landmark season for the Spartan rowing program, as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of Michigan State sponsoring rowing as a varsity sport, as well as acknowledging the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Kim Chavers is the third head coach in program history and she begins her fourth season at the helm.
The Spartans enter the season with four graduate or fifth-year students and three seniors – Emily Carless, Kendall Carlin, Ella Kubas, Victoria Mills, Mackenzie Rugg, Molly Stothard, and Olivia Tolkinen. MSU also rosters 17 juniors, 19 sophomores, and 29 freshmen.
Spartan Lineups:
Varsity 8+: C - Sophia Stauffer; S - Sophia Ring; 7 - Kendall Carlin; 6 - Freya Engel; 5 - Carolynn Garner; 4 - Sabrina Gottschalk; 3 - Danielle Carlson; 2 - Molly Stothard; B - Maya Elbaranes
Second Varsity 8+: C - Ellise Flessland; S - Lucy Botting; 7 - Victoria Mills; 6 - Julie Armstrong; 5 - Emily Carless; 4 - Alice Bradley; 3 - Olivia Portner; 2 - Claudia Kingma; B - Madisen Holtz
Third Varsity 8+: C - Sam Thoma (AM)/Grace Thomas (PM); S - Ellie Pollion; 7- Olivia Behovitz; 6- Caroline Williams; 5 - Isabel Radakovich; 4 - Elizabeth Vance; 3 - Sadie Thomas; 2 - Sammy Maday; B- Sarah Wood
Varsity 4+: C - Kendall Gonya; S - Lily Devereaux; 3 - Delaney Davis; 2 - Ella Kubas; B - Anna Drnkova
Second Varsity 4+: C - Grace Thomas; S - Sara Hilburger; 3 - Kat Borders; 2- Breanna Berry; B- Abby Marek
Third Varsity 4+: C - Sam Thoma; S - Eleni Agioti ; 3- Kaylie Wright; 2 - Ella Harrell; B - Olivia Tolkinen
Fourth Varsity 4+: C - Maggie Carless; S - Catryna Lear; 3 - Avery Rugg; 2 - Colby Orcutt; B - Mackenzie Rugg
Novice 8+: C - Kate Galazin; S - Jayden Schmaltz; 7 - Haley Rinehart; 6 - Lillian Davidson-Walshe; 5 - Sophia Parker; 4 - Ava Woodard; 3 - Alaina Roush; 2 - Jillian Cox; B - Eryn Rose
Second Novice 8+: C - Erin Swartz; S - Danielle Edington; 7 - Nora Roche; 6 - Isabella Short; 5 - Margaret Daiber; 4 - Lauren Droska; 3 - Logan Hibbard; 2 - Kaleigh Yunker; B - Elise Ciantar
msuspartans.com
Racing will take place on Lake Ovid in Sleepy Hollow State Park, which was also the site when MSU hosted the Big Ten Rowing Championships in 2010. MSU recently raced on Lake Ovid in a double dual in 2017.
The Spartans are coming off back-to-back weekends of racing in Sarasota, Florida at Nathan Benderson Park. MSU took part in the Sunshine State Invitational in the first weekend of the season (March 31-April 1) and then in the Big Ten Invitational last week (April 7-8).
Spartan Invitational Site: FAQ's, Directions, and Race Schedule
Michigan State's novice eights had strong performances over the two opening weekends, with the novice eight earning two first-place finishes and a second in the Big Ten Invitational while the second novice eight earned a first-, second-, and third-place finishes against a competitive field.
In the opening weekend, the novice eight earned a gold medal, while the first varsity four earned a silver medal and the third varsity four took bronze in their respective grand finals.
Two Spartan shells will make their home debuts this weekend. The varsity eight boat, the Olivia Long '23, made its racing debut in Sarasota. The boat was dedicated last fall in memory of Long, who passed away from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident prior to her junior campaign. Meanwhile, two brand-new varsity four shells were dedicated in November: the Molon Labe (dedicated by the Class of 2024), is the shell for the varsity four, and the Grand Legacy, (dedicated by the Class of 2004), is the boat for the second varsity four.
It is a landmark season for the Spartan rowing program, as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of Michigan State sponsoring rowing as a varsity sport, as well as acknowledging the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Kim Chavers is the third head coach in program history and she begins her fourth season at the helm.
The Spartans enter the season with four graduate or fifth-year students and three seniors – Emily Carless, Kendall Carlin, Ella Kubas, Victoria Mills, Mackenzie Rugg, Molly Stothard, and Olivia Tolkinen. MSU also rosters 17 juniors, 19 sophomores, and 29 freshmen.
Spartan Lineups:
Varsity 8+: C - Sophia Stauffer; S - Sophia Ring; 7 - Kendall Carlin; 6 - Freya Engel; 5 - Carolynn Garner; 4 - Sabrina Gottschalk; 3 - Danielle Carlson; 2 - Molly Stothard; B - Maya Elbaranes
Second Varsity 8+: C - Ellise Flessland; S - Lucy Botting; 7 - Victoria Mills; 6 - Julie Armstrong; 5 - Emily Carless; 4 - Alice Bradley; 3 - Olivia Portner; 2 - Claudia Kingma; B - Madisen Holtz
Third Varsity 8+: C - Sam Thoma (AM)/Grace Thomas (PM); S - Ellie Pollion; 7- Olivia Behovitz; 6- Caroline Williams; 5 - Isabel Radakovich; 4 - Elizabeth Vance; 3 - Sadie Thomas; 2 - Sammy Maday; B- Sarah Wood
Varsity 4+: C - Kendall Gonya; S - Lily Devereaux; 3 - Delaney Davis; 2 - Ella Kubas; B - Anna Drnkova
Second Varsity 4+: C - Grace Thomas; S - Sara Hilburger; 3 - Kat Borders; 2- Breanna Berry; B- Abby Marek
Third Varsity 4+: C - Sam Thoma; S - Eleni Agioti ; 3- Kaylie Wright; 2 - Ella Harrell; B - Olivia Tolkinen
Fourth Varsity 4+: C - Maggie Carless; S - Catryna Lear; 3 - Avery Rugg; 2 - Colby Orcutt; B - Mackenzie Rugg
Novice 8+: C - Kate Galazin; S - Jayden Schmaltz; 7 - Haley Rinehart; 6 - Lillian Davidson-Walshe; 5 - Sophia Parker; 4 - Ava Woodard; 3 - Alaina Roush; 2 - Jillian Cox; B - Eryn Rose
Second Novice 8+: C - Erin Swartz; S - Danielle Edington; 7 - Nora Roche; 6 - Isabella Short; 5 - Margaret Daiber; 4 - Lauren Droska; 3 - Logan Hibbard; 2 - Kaleigh Yunker; B - Elise Ciantar
Spartans Host Invitational Saturday - Michigan State University Athletics
East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State hosts its only home race of the season on Saturday when it welcomes Miami, Temple, and Tulsa for the Spartan Invitational.
msuspartans.com
