Oct. 14, 2001

Chicago and Rockford, Ill. - The Notre Dame rowing team completed a successful weekend by winning three races at Saturday's Chicago Chase, while the novice eight won its race and the varsity eight was second at Sunday's Head of the Rock in Rockford, Ill.

On Saturday, the Irish won the varsity eight, the novice eight and the pairs race on the 2.75-mile course on the Chicago River. In the varsity eight race, Notre Dame claimed three of the first five spots, including finishing 1-2 as the shell of Kerri Murphy, Diane Price, Natalie Ladine, Ashlee Warren, Michelle Olsgard, Casey Buckstaff, Katherine Burnett, Jayme Szefc and Cassie Markstahler won in 16:12.90. The second eight of Danielle Protasewich, Kathleen Welsh, Melissa Alberding, Kati Sedun, Courtney Mercer, Erica Drennan, Ann Marie Dillhoff, Katie Besson and Kathryn Long was second in 16:42.20. The third varsity finished fifth, while the fourth eight was 10th.

In the pairs race, the duo of Szefc and Burnett was first in 19:32.50. Notre Dame's Dillhoff and Drennan were second in 19:47.40, followed by the pair of Warren, who won the pairs race at the 2000 Chicago Chase with partner Becky Luckett, and Ladine.

The novice eight team of Ann Mulligan, Beth Franzosa, Alice Bartek, Kristen Henkel, Meredith Thornburgh, Elizabeth Specht, Sedun, Kristen Mizzi and Caitlin Rackish also finished first in 17:27.90. A team from Dublin High School was second, followed by Indiana in third.

In the open four race, Indiana took first place in 18:55.70, followed by Northwestern in 19:10.50. The Notre Dame boat of Alberding, Katie O'Hara, Mercer, Welsh and Long was third in 19:15.60, while the crew of Laura Aull, Maureen Carr, Meg Feely, Kolleen Myers and Markstahler were fourth in 19:17.40.

In Rockford, the novice eight crew of Mulligan, Franzosa, Bartek, Henkel, Thornburgh, Specht, Sedun, Mizzi and Rackish won its second race of the weekend. (Times were not available at publication and will be added later.)

The varsity eight crew of Murphy, Price, Ladine, Warren, Olsgard, Buckstaff, Burnett, Szefc and Markstahler placed second. Wisconsin was first, while Iowa was third and Wisconsin's B crew was fourth. The crew of Protasewich, Welsh, Alberding, Sedun, Mercer, Drennan, Dillhoff, Besson and Long was seventh.

In the pairs race, Notre Dame claimed four of the top five positions, as Iowa won the race. The duo of Szefc and Burnett, fresh off its victory at the Chicago Chase, was second. The team of Buckstaff and Olsgard was third, followed by the pair of Warren and Ladine and Murphy and Besson.

In the open four, Notre Dame was fifth and 12th.

The Irish are next in action on Saturday, Oct. 20, as selected crews compete at the Head of the Eagle in Indianapolis, Ind.