Florida Tech Is Fourth Overall in NCAA National Women’s Rowing

– At the 2005 National Women’s Rowing Championships at Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento, Calif., Florida Tech placed fourth overall among Division II
competitors. California State University, Sacramento, hosted the event, held May 27-29.

First Place Western Washington University won their first rowing national championship by dominating the four grand final and the eight grand final,
finishing with 20 points overall. Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa.-2004 defending national champions-barely took the runner-up spot, with 12 points. Nova
Southeastern of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., one point shy of a tie for second, grabbed third place with eleven points.

In other results, the Florida Tech Panthers Four placed third and the Panthers Eight finished sixth. Additionally, two Florida Tech student-athletes,
sophomores Jessica House and Rachel Purvis, were honored by the Coach’s Rowing Association as National Scholar Athletic Team members. House was also named
First Team All-American with nine other Division II student-athletes.

The Florida Tech four consisted of the bow rower sophomore Morgan Tweedie (Osprey, Fla.); two seat freshman Anna Beaman (Pittsboro, In.); three seat
freshman Laura Benard (Becket, Mass.); stroke oar Brittany Hyde (Reston, Va.) and coxswain freshman Janelle Boisvert (Acton, Mass.). The Panthers were also
allowed a spare rower which consisted of Rachel Jones (Jay, Okla.).

The Panther’s eight consisted of seat one sophomore Jessie House (Melbourne, Florida); two seat sophomore Rachel Purvis (Brockville, Ontario); three seat
freshman Ellen Ramirez (Wichita Falls, Texas); four seat sophomore Maddie Smerin (Fairfax, Va.); five seat junior Nicole Weiler (Palm City, Fla.); six seat
junior Kristen Brotherton (Pensacola, Fla.); seven seat junior Chelsea LaRese (Marion, Conn.); stoke oar junior Whitney Given (Orlando, Fla.); coxswain
sophomore Desiree Tetrault (Naples, Fla.).