By, Briana Colon

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. - Strong winds Friday morning made for challenging racing conditions at the 2010 West Coast Conference Championships at Lake Natoma. The Varsity 8 race finally commenced after a couple of false starts and trouble getting aligned in the inconsistent wind. All five boats stayed together for the duration of the two kilometers and Santa Clara University gave its all to prove it was a serious competitor.

"Intense, and very connected," SCU team captain Gabby Alexander said about the Championship's featured race. "Our whole year's training was worth it for this moment, and we poured out all our hard work to stay with the other boats."

Fellow SCU teammates expressed their joy that they may have placed a close fifth in the race but they pushed each other in order to stay with schools that have traditionally been much faster. Senior Jen Bullian - who was named to the All-WCC First Team - was pleased that the Broncos raced "a full 2K and ended the season on a positive note."

Basically everyone is happy with the progress the team has made from the beginning of the season. First-year head coach Anne Kennedy was encouraged with the team's performance and explained that the Varsity 8, "brought forth a consistent and focused effort, and as a result we had our most competitive race of the season. The Varsity 8 represented both themselves and their teammates who were not able to compete today with pride and determination. Its another great step for us, and I'm looking forward to some more fun, fierce racing this weekend."

The team will also compete in the 2010 WIRA races at Lake Natoma on this weekend.

WCC Women's Rowing Championships
Friday, April 30, 2010
Lake Natoma (Rancho Cordova, California)

TEAM STANDINGS
University of San Diego (28 points)
Gonzaga University (26)
Loyola Marymount University (18)
Saint Mary's College (12)
Santa Clara University (3)

RACE CHAMPIONS:
I FOUR - University of San Diego (8:00.2)
II EIGHT - Gonzaga University (7:06.2)
I EIGHT - University of San Diego (6:43.6)

2010 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Kim Cupini (University of San Diego)

2010 West Coast Conference Coxswain of the Year
Allyn Delozier (University of San Diego)

2010 West Coast Conference All-Conference Team
Jordan Bonadio (Saint Mary's College)
Jennifer Bullian (Santa Clara University)
Allyn Delozier (University of San Diego)
Michelle Herrerias (Loyola Marymount University)
Christine Holloway (University of San Diego)
Liz Moore (Gonzaga University)
Hannah Patrick (University of San Diego)
Katharine Petrich (University of San Diego)
Alissa Stempson (Gonzaga University)

Final Standings:
4's/II 8's/I 8's = TOTAL
San Diego 5/8/15 = 28
Gonzaga 4/10/12 = 26
LMU 3/6/9 = 18
Saint Mary's 2/4/6 = 12
Santa Clara 0/0/3 = 3

I Four Race Official Results:
1. San Diego (cox: Caitlin Soper, Nichole Norby, Taylar Albertini, Lisa O'Toole, Melanie Lucas-Conwell) 8:00.2
2. Gonzaga (cox: Nicky Talkington, Maryssa Thompson, Jamie Hemenway, Olivia Miller, Courtney Norris) 8:07.0
3. Loyola Marymount (cox: Janel Peralez, Kerry Small, Paris Amy, Jill Dannia, Molly Clinton) 8:39.3
4. Saint Mary's (cox: Lisa Wickhem, Lauren Jaeckel, Blair Smith, Jessica Menzhuber, Tara Larson) 8:43.5

II Eight Race Official Results:
1. Gonzaga (cox: Natalie Wolfrom, Lauren Miller, Alexa Bostwick, Paula Welly, Hannah Winters, Therese Yrani, Rachel Schlosser, Sophie Bluhm, Lana Bowie) 7:06.2
2. San Diego (cox: Kristin Jones, Maggie Cole, Lauren Rollins, Stephanie Jegat, Sara Church, Alexandra Parker, Lindsey Dornes, Hannah Ward, Anne Lewis) 7:15.4
3. Loyola Marymount (cox: Marie Simoni, Sydney Sutton-Liswith, Tayla Courtney, Maggie Boze, Adrienne Lindtrom, Liz LaLonde, Cassidy Baine, Leanne McNamee, Harriett Russell) 7:24.1
4. Saint Mary's (cox: Molly Chow, Elyssa Roselle, Jillian Parlee, Elaina Jones, Deanna Estes, Nicolette Pierantoni, Jacqueline Lintner, Caitlin Staat, Ann Boyd) 7:55.2

I Eight Race Official Results
1. San Diego (cox: Allyn Delozier, Hannah Patrick, Christine Holloway, Katharine Petrich, Gina Schneider, Michelle Schooler, Marilyn Smith, Taylor Caldwell, Michelle Geesman) 6:43.6
2. Gonzaga (cox: Emily Wilson, Chelsea Quilling, Alissa Stempson, Liz Moore, Teddi McGuire, Elise Perkins, Sam Cekovic, Chelsie Eddings, Sami Koppinger) 6:43.8
3. Loyola Marymount (cox: Kayla Pietruszka, Katrina Regan, Shannon Craig, Mary Foster, Alex Silva, Michelle Herrerias, Chris Erhart, Bettina Messerli, Hanna Osborne) 7:11.0
4. Saint Mary's (cox: Marrah Galvin, Savina Brown, Jordan Bonadio, Miranda Ripoli, Dana Cook, Michelle Burns, Laura Kocourek, Taylor Balian, Jennifer Trowers) 7:21.1
5. Santa Clara (cox: Katelyn Daley, Jennifer Bullian, Jillian Walker, Kira Kubota, Berkeley Fial, Gabrielle Alexander, Laurel Schuster, Katie Caudle, Mehanna Hoopii) 7:31.0