Saturday Full Results | Sunday Full Results

FAIRFAX STATION, Va. – The George Mason University rowing team earned a trio of top-3 finishes to highlight an outstanding fall regatta at the Head of the Occoquan Saturday and Sunday.
 
Mason's first home event of the fall proved to be one of great gains, as the Patriots improved in nearly all facets of racing compared to the season-opening Navy Day Regatta on Oct. 13.
 
In all, the Patriot Varisty 8+, Varsity 4+ 'A' and 2x boats garnered bronze medals in a solid-all around day for the program.
 
"It was a good weekend for us," head coach Joseph Richards said. "Any time the rowers walk away from a regatta with medals around their necks, it's a good thing. It was an improved performance for our team compared to our last time out. We were able to test ourselves against some good local competition."
 
Mason's Varsity 8+ looked strong in their 4000m head race Saturday, placing third amongst 15 boats in a time of 17:49.56. The Green & Gold finished behind only a pair of boats from DMV power Georgetown. The Patriots placed ahead of Robert Morris, Pittsburgh, A-10 rival La Salle, Loyola (Md.) and a host of other programs.
 
Mason's Varsity 4+ 'A' boat also placed third in that race (19:33.25), more than 10 seconds ahead of fourth-place Robert Morris and close to a minute ahead of fifth-place Buffalo. The Varsity 4+ 'B' crew was seventh among the 16 crews in the event with a time of 20:38.12.
 
On Sunday, Mason's 2x boat of sophomore Leah Gillespie and senior Elizabeth Rush went back out on the water and performed admirably, placing third of 19 boats in a time of 22:03.18. It marked the duo's first official competition together and it looks to be a pairing which will be repeated in the future.
 
Elsewhere, the Patriots' Second Varsity 8+ finished fifth in their race.
 
Mason's freshmen/novice 8+ made their debut on Saturday and put together an outstanding first competition for a crew with many of its athletes racing for the very first time. The Green & Gold placed eighth out of 21 teams in a time of 21:12.86.
 
"After weeks of concentrating on gaining fitness and nailing down the basics of the stroke, the novice group, with the help of two varsity freshmen Laila [Salem] and Hannah [Sullivan], had a strong race amongst a competitive group of experienced freshmen and true novice boats," assistant coach Elizabeth Hilton said. "The best part of the day was watching them come off the water excited for the next challenge and realizing that they can compete."
 
The Patriots will now get back to work in preparation for Saturday's final race of the fall season. Mason will return to the Occoquan to battle crews from Robert Morris and Loyola (Md.)
 
"We had some close results against both of those teams and we'll see them again next weekend," Richards said. "We have one more week of practice and then hopefully some good racing next weekend to finish off our fall season."
 
Varsity 8+
B – Leah Gillespie
2 – Grace Moody
3 – Nida Peleda
4 – Elizabeth Johnson
5 – Xander Huffman
6 – Elizabeth Rush
7 – Emma Puckett
8 – Maria Justiniano
Cox – Fabriana Velasquez
 
Second Varsity 8+
B – Denise Gormley
2 – Hannah Sullivan
3 – Caroline Larson
4 – Laila Salem
5 – Hannah Sawn
6 – Marie Therese Michael
7 – Kate Adams
8 – Katelyn James
Cox – Elizabeth Tubb
 
Varsity 4+ 'A'
B – Kate Adams
2 – Xander Huffman
3 – Grace Moody
4 – Katelyn James
Cox – Aileigh Daniel
 
Varsity 4+ 'B'
B – Nida Peleda
2 – Elizabeth Johnson
3 – Emma Puckett
4 – Maria Justiniano
Cox – Kathleen Lackatos
 
2x
B – Leah Gillespie
2 – Elizabeth Rush
 
Novice 8+
B – Talia Winstead
2 – Laila Salem
3 – Hannah Sullivan
4 – Haley Williams
5 – Olivia Garcia
6 – Helen McCarthy
7 – Shannon Somers
S – Jordan Boyden
Cox – Paige Hansbury
 
#GetPatriotic