BLUE CREW WINS NEWMAC CHAMPIONSHIP

WORCESTER, Mass. -- For the second consecutive season, Wellesley College can lay claim to the NEWMAC Rowing Championship. The Blue's varsity eight edged out second-place Coast Guard in collecting their third overall title at the 2012 league championship on Lake Quinsigamond on Saturday morning.

Wellesley, who posted a time of 7:26.4, was nearly four seconds ahead of the Bears (7:30.3). Smith turned in a third place finish with a time of 7:37.3 with WPI close behind (7:38.1). Mount Holyoke (8:02.1) and Clark (8:17.3) rounded out the field.

The Blue also picked up the Florence Smith Jope Cup, given annually to the team with the most overall points during the four championship events. Wellesley took first place honors in both the novice eight (7:49.2) and in the second varsity eight (7:43.9), while Smith crossed the line first in the third varsity eight race (8:01.5) that featured only three boats.

Following the races, the 2011 all-conference honorees were announced. The varsity selections are: Genevieve DeAngelis (Malden, Mass.) and Katy Nowoswiat (Lowell, Mass.) of Clark University; Holly Madden (Shrinking Spring, Pa.) and Sarah Jane Otey (Littleton, Colo.) of Coast Guard; Carol Still (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Hattie Gemerchak (Shaker Heights, Ohio) of Mount Holyoke; Jessica Frey (Andover, Mass.) and Patty Suquilanda (Greenwich, Conn.) of Wellesley; and Brooke Cotta (Bristol, R.I.) and Suzanna Kelley (Attleboro, Mass.) of WPI

The novice selections included Katie Baldyga (Unionville, Conn.) of Clark; Brynna Cooke (Salem, Conn.) of Coast Guard; Samantha Marsden (Eugene, Ore.) of Mount Holyoke; Caroline Finn (Woodbridge, Va.) of Smith; Loren Lock (Fond Du Lac, Wis.) of Wellesley and Corre Steele (Stow, Mass.) of WPI.