PULLMAN, Wash. – No. 12 Washington State University rowing faced regional rival No. 18 Gonzaga in dual action Saturday morning, and the Cougar varsity eight reclaimed the Fawley Cup at Wawawai Landing on the Snake River. The Cougars took two of the top three varsity races under mostly cloudy skies, with scattered showers and moderate, choppy conditions that improved throughout the day's races.

The WSU varsity eight (coxswain – Jenna Mangiagli, Emily Thomson, Isabella Watt, Nicole Hare, Lucie Weissova, Paige Danielson, Kristel Tohu, Mihaela-Teodora Berindei) battled closely with Gonzaga through the first 500 meters of the 27th Fawley Cup, before the Cougars started to gain seat advantages with a steady stroke rate. At the 1,000-meter mark the Cougars opened up an open-water lead on Gonzaga, and continued to increase the margin as they approached the spectators at Wawawai Landing. WSU won its 24th Fawley Cup, crossing at 7:03.44, with Gonzaga following at 7:16.24. Both crews battled choppy waters and a moderate quartering headwind.

WSU's second varsity eight (coxswain – Ellie Burg, Emily Morrow, Brittany Brooks, Chloe Rogers, Rosalina Torcivia, Jessi Howe, Renee Kemp, Kamila Ondrackova, Lori VerMurlen) was also able to fend off Gonzaga in another close contest. The Cougars were quick out of the gates, jumping to an early two-seat lead in the opening 250 meters. The Cougars continued to work for an advantage, as water conditions improved slightly, but Gonzaga was able to hold its bow canvas on WSU's stern canvas through the 500-meter buoy. The crews stayed overlapping until they reached the breakwater. GU used a sprint and energy from the crowd to close the gap in the final half of the race, but WSU answered with one more strong sprint, and was able to gain an open-water advantage into the red buoys. The Cougars powered through the line at 7:20.77, ahead of GU's 7:25.99 finish, to ensure Cougar victories in two of the top three varsity races.

Gonzaga was able to win three races, Saturday, including the only battle of varsity fours. In the first race of the day, Gonzaga's varsity four 'A' rowed aggressively from the start, and opened up an open-water lead on the field at the 750-meter mark. Conditions were tough for both crews, with choppy waters and a moderate headwind. With Gonzaga's four 'A' off to a strong start, WSU's varsity four (coxswain – Hannah Welzbacker, Grace Arnis, Miranda Armstrong, Sophia Rogers, Sue Yu) was locked up with Gonzaga's varsity four 'B' throughout the first half of the race. The Cougars continually attempted to cut into the Bulldogs' lead, but the GU 'B' edged WSU in the final 1,000-meters to finish at 8:56.03, behind the Gonzaga 'A,' which powered ahead of the pack for an 8:30.66 finish. WSU crossed at 9:09.49.

The Cougar third varsity eight (coxswain- Mikaelyn Davis, Grace Arnis, Jill Hannink, Linnea Davison, Emily Vandegrift, Anna DeTray, Miranda Armstrong, Sophia Rogers, Sue Yu) and Gonzaga's third varsity eight went back-and-forth in the fourth race of the day, with WSU claiming the initial seat lead in the opening 250 meters. The Cougars stayed ahead by a slim margin until the Bulldogs utilized a clean sprint near the 1,000-meter mark to claim a slight advantage. The crews continued to battle bow ball for bow ball until Gonzaga put on another strong sprint past the breakwater, to earn its first open-water lead of the race. GU finished first at 8:00.38, and the Cougars continued to try to close the gap, crossing at 8:02.30. 

The final race of the day did not disappoint, and the Cougars sent out both their fourth and fifth varsity eights against GU's fourth varsity eight. The WSU fourth varsity eight (coxswain- Paige Schoppe, Ella Cowan de Wolf, Samantha Eilers, Mahal Johnson, Gabrielle Rector, Miranda Strickland, Carmen Dittoe, Rachel Christman, Madeline Soran) and Gonzaga fourth varsity eight raced stroke-for-stroke for the better part of 1,750 meters, with Gonzaga using a late push in the final 500 meters to gain a slim margin over the Cougars. Both crews cleared the Cougar fifth varsity eight (coxswain- Shannon MacKenzie, Grace Taylor, Alexis Winnett, Melissa Torres, Hannah Mayes, Raquel Alba, Allison Marken, Malia Burleson, Kassie Stadler) in the first quarter of the race, claiming open water advantages. The final sprint went to the Zags, with GU holding onto a two-seat lead, crossing at 7:49.00, just ahead of the WSU fourth varsity eight at 7:51.01, in what was the closest race of the day. The Cougar fifth varsity eight finished the course at 8:46.77.

The Cougars continue the spring season, Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 at the San Diego Crew Classic at Mission Bay. 

No. 18 Gonzaga at No. 12 Washington State 
Saturday, March 25 | 8:30 a.m. | Wawawai Landing (Snake River)
Results – 45° & Mostly Cloudy – 8-9 m.p.h. Quartering Headwind – Moderate-to-Mild Chop

Varsity Eight – Race for the Fawley Cup
1. Washington State, 7:03.44
2. Gonzaga, 7:16.24

WSU Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain-Jenna Mangiagli
stroke-Emily Thomson
7-Isabella Watt 
6-Nicole Hare
5-Lucie Weissova
4-Paige Danielson
2-Kristel Tohu
bow-Mihaela-Teodora Berindei

Second Varsity Eight
1. Washington State, 7:20.77
2. Gonzaga, 7:25.99

WSU Second Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain-Ellie Burg
stroke-Emily Morrow
7-Brittany Brooks
6- Chloe Rogers
5-Rosalina Torcivia
4-Jessi Howe
3-Renee Kemp
2-Kamila Ondrackova
bow-Lori VerMurlen

Varsity Four
1. Gonzaga A, 8:39.66
2. Gonzaga B, 8:56.03
3. Washington State, 9:09.49

WSU Varsity Four Lineup
coxswain-Hannah Welzbacker
4-Grace Arnis
3-Miranda Armstrong
2-Sophia Rogers
bow-Sue Yu

Third Varsity Eight 
1. Gonzaga, 8:00.38
2. Washington State, 8:08.30

WSU Third Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain- Mikaelyn Davis
stroke-Grace Arnis
7-Jill Hannink
6-Linnea Davison
5-Emily Vandegrift
4-Anna DeTray
3-Miranda Armstrong
2-Sophia Rogers
bow-Sue Yu

Fourth/Fifth Varsity Eights
1. Gonzaga 4V8+, 7:49:00
2. Washington State 4V8+, 7:51.01
3. Washington State 5V8+, 8:46.77

WSU Fourth Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain- Paige Schoppe
stroke- Ella Cowan de Wolf 
7-Samantha Eilers
6-Mahal Johnson
5-Gabrielle Rector
4-Miranda Strickland
3-Carmen Dittoe
2-Rachel Christman
bow- Madeline Soran

WSU Fifth Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain- Shannon MacKenzie
stroke- Grace Taylor 
7-Alexis Winnett
6-Melissa Torres
5-Hannah Mayes
4-Raquel Alba
3-Allison Marken
2-Malia Burleson
bow- Kassie Stadler