The University of Louisville women’s rowing team advanced all five of its boats to the A Finals at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship, according to an April 18 announcement.
This result marks a strong performance for Louisville, as each boat qualified for the top final in their respective events. The achievement highlights the depth and competitiveness of the Cardinals’ rowing program during this championship weekend.
Louisville’s Varsity 8 crew finished first in both its preliminary heat and semifinal, posting times of 6:41.783 and 6:52.392 respectively. The crew, led by coxswain Olivia Guarnaccia and including Macy Whisenand, Claire Carver-Ritter, Anna Brennan, Haley Kunz, Grace Rodebaugh, Emma Bell, Clara Jane Van Dyk and Lexi Bernard, will compete in Sunday’s A Final at 12:28 p.m.
The Second Varsity 8 (2V8) and Third Varsity 8 (3V8) also secured spots in their event’s A Final after placing first and third in their heats with times of 6:48.647 for the 2V8 and 7:01.585 for the 3V8. Both crews will race again Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m.
In addition to success among eights crews, both Varsity Four boats advanced after strong showings on Saturday. The V4A won its heat and semifinal while V4B finished second in its heat before placing fourth in its semifinal; both advance to Sunday’s final at 11:02 a.m. The Novice Four boat is set to begin finals action for Louisville with a race scheduled at 9:52 a.m.
These results underscore Louisville’s competitive presence across multiple boat classes as they prepare for Sunday’s championship races.
