SJU Athletics Photos

CAMDEN, NJ (3-25-01) - The St. Joseph's women's rowing team opened its 2001 season with a four medals at the 2nd Annual Jesuit Invitational, held on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ. The strong showing enabled the combined men's and women's SJU rowing teams to place second overall at the Invitational. This year's Jesuit Invitational brought together all of the Jesuit Varsity Women's Crews in the country except for Creighton. The Hawks put forth a solid performance for their first race of the year. The program's young Varsity Eight separated from the pack along with Boston College. At the 1000 meter mark, SJU was still in the hunt for the gold medal, but BC took advantage of the Hawks' youth and handled the conditions better taking the gold medal with SJU finishing second ahead of Fairfield, Holy Cross, and Loyola (MD). The SJU Lightweight Eight rowed in the second Varsity Eight as well as the Varsity Lightweight so that they could get the experience of racing in a two-race per day format. In the Second Varsity 8, SJU again separated from the pack along with Boston College. The Hawks fought stroke for stroke through about the 1250 meter mark. Then BC using its superior size edged the Hawk lightweights in the last 250 to finish 3/4 of a length ahead. The team nailed down another silver medal and finished 20 seconds ahead of third place Fairfield and 33 seconds ahead of fourth place Holy Cross. The Lightweight Eight squared off for the second time against Holy Cross's Lightweight 8. The Hawks had this race right from the start, taking a length lead by the 500 meter mark, increasing it every 500 meters. In the end SJU's only gold medal of the day was won by 35 seconds over Holy Cross. The SJU Freshmen Eight had a strong field to contend with in BC, Fairfield, Fordham and Loyola. The pack was tight through the first 500 meters when the Hawks, BC, and Fairfield made a move to establish a lead on the rest of the field. The Hawks battled through the finish just behind Fairfield and BC. The Hawks next row this coming Saturday at the Knecht Cup held on the Cooper River.