Franklin Pierce Posts Solid Weekend in Lowell
Regionally-ranked women post pair of victories, men have split results
Raven women ranked second in NCAA Division II East Regional rankings 

LOWELL, Mass. (April 15, 2008) – The Franklin Pierce men’s and women’s rowing teams produced solid results in a series of sprint races with the University of Massachusetts Lowell and Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Saturday on the Merrimack River.

            Franklin Pierce’s women’s rowing team is ranked second in the first NCAA Division II East Regional rankings released last week. The Ravens are ranked behind Dowling College and ahead of Philadelphia University. Franklin Pierce’s women’s varsity four is the top ranked crew in the East Region, while the Ravens eight is rated third in the East. The NCAA regional rankings are used for selection to the NCAA Division II women’s rowing championships in Sacramento, Calif., May 30-June 1.

            The Franklin Pierce women swept its two races over the weekend. The women’s varsity four turned in a time of 7:09.5 over the 2000m course to defeat UMass Lowell (7:16.2) and Mass Maritime (7:40.8). Rowing for the Ravens were senior Blair Granum (Worcester, Mass./Doherty Memorial) at stroke, senior Jessica Guertin (Bellingham, Mass./Bellingham) in the two seat, senior Gwenn Curtis (Falls Village, Conn./Housatonic Valley) at three seat, with junior Cassie Ela (Lancaster, Mass./Nashoba Regional) in the bow and sophomore Kristen Sheridan (Auburn, N.H./Manchester Memorial) as the coxswain.

            The women’s novice four posted a time of 7:08.1 to defeat UMass Lowell (7:27.0) in a head-to-head race.

Franklin Pierce’s men’s novice four won for the second-straight week, turning in a time of 6:28.3 to finish ahead of MMA-A (6:50), UML (6:57.3) and MMA-B (7:16). Rowing for the Ravens were sophomore Tim Cardiello (Warren, N.J./Watchung Hills) at stroke, freshman Corey Pinney (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) in the two seat, freshman Jon Gordon (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) at the three seat and freshman Michael Parthum (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) in the bow, with freshman Julie Waxman (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) as the coxswain.

Franklin Pierce raced two crews in the men’s varsity four event. The Ravens A-boat finished second, with a time of 6:26.5  - just ahead of the Ravens B-crew (6:27.). UMass Lowell won the race with a time of 6:25.07, while Mass Maritime took fourth (7:16). Rowing for the Ravens A-boat were sophomore Ian Randall (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) at stroke, senior William Eroh (Meriden, Conn./Lyman Hall) in the two seat, sophomore Patrick Brosnan (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greeley) at the three seat and freshman Kai Dadian (Saint Louis, Mo./University City) in the bow, with senior Brittany Bonesteel (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) as the coxswain.

In the B-boat were junior Josh Marker (Lockport, N.Y./St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute) at stroke, sophomore Brett Dicrescenzo (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) in the two-seat, freshman Corey Pinney (Hightstown, N.J./Hightstown) in the three seat and sophomore Wade Rodgers (West Greenwich, R.I./Exeter-West Greenwich Regional) in the bow, with sophomore Alex Edwards (Greenville, R.I./Smithfield) as the coxswain.

            Franklin Pierce is off until Saturday, April 26. The women head to Philadelphia, Pa., for a key series of races against Dowling, Philadelphia and Mercyhurst College. The men are in Worcester, Mass., to face Bowdoin College and Clark University.