Gonzaga University
West Coast Conference Championships
Bulldog Men Claim WCC Title
4/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Crew
April 29, 2005
RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. - Gonzaga University's men's rowing team captured its fourth straight West Coast Conference championship Friday on Lake Natoma.
The Bulldogs men's varsity 8+ won in 6:13.5 for nearly a 5-second margin of victory over Santa Clara University which finished in 6:18.1. In the junior varsity 8+ the Bulldogs won the title in 6:26.7 to edge Loyola Marymount University by two seconds, the Lions finishing in 6:28.6.
The WCC Championship is not sponsored by the West Coast Conference but was organized by the men's rowing coaches four years ago.
"Both boats rowed well," Gonzaga head coach Dan Gehn said. "As usual, people rose to the occasion and wanted to attack us, but both boats did an excellent job of controlling the races."
Gehn said there was a light chop on the course as a result of a slight headwind, but he didn't believe that altered the results.
"I didn't think the conditions were a factor, other than the fact it slowed everybody down a little bit. I thought we rowed where we thought we should be. Santa Clara had a good varsity eight race. It was the fastest I'd seen them all year. I was pleased with our times."
The men's varsity 8+ was comprised of sophomore coxswain Lauren Gadeken (Sammamish, Wash.), junior stroke Connor Barry (Walla Walla, Wash.), senior Pat Haffey (Spokane, Wash.), freshman Scott McCoy (Fair Oaks, Calif.), senior Nathan Wilson (Post Falls, Idaho), senior Ben Foley Boulder, Colo.), sophomore David Hinshaw (Soldotna, Alaska), freshman Joe Dudley (San Francisco, Calif.) and freshman bow Warren North (Seattle, Wash.).Those in the JV 8+ were senior coxswain Elaine Parry (Gresham, Ore.), freshman stroke Ben Rosenblatt (Mill Valley, Calif.), freshman Drew Hastings (Portland, Ore.), sophomore Matthew Wernette (Lodi, Calif.), sophomore Derek Clemmensen (Carson, Nev.), sophomore Matthew White (Seattle, Wash.), freshman Brett Boissevain (Boulder, Colo.), freshman Drew Smith (Santee, Calif.) and freshman bow Michael Smoot (Clackamas, Ore.).
The Bulldogs won't get much time to celebrate their victory as they will compete in the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) championships Saturday and Sunday also on Lake Natoma. Gonzaga's men will enter the varsity 8+ and JV 8+ with racing starting at 8 a.m. both days.
Gehn doesn't think Friday's races will hurt his team heading into the WIRA championship.
"I think it helps to race on Friday. Any jitters you have you had a chance to go down the race course on Friday. It will be the same course with the same conditions. There was race energy put forth but it's no different than nationals when you race four straight days."
Varsity 8+
1. Gonzaga University 6:13.5 (coxswain Lauren Gadeken, stroke Connor Barry, Pat Haffey, Scott McCoy, Nathan Wilson, Ben Foley, David Hinshaw, Joe Dudley, bow Warren North). 2. Santa Clara University 6:18.1. 3. University of San Diego 6:22.1. 4. Loyola Marymount University 6:32.4.
1. Gonzaga University 6:26.7 (coxswain Elaine Parry, stroke Ben Rosenblatt, Drew Hastings, Matthew Wernette, Derek Clemmensen, Matthew White, Brett Boissevain, Drew Smith, bow Michael Smoot). 2. Loyola Marymount University 6:28.6. 3. Santa Clara University 6:44.0.
