VILLANOVA, Pa. – The first two-day regatta of the spring takes Villanova Rowing over to nearby Pennsauken, N.J. on Saturday and Sunday for the Knecht Cup.
 
The Wildcats are coming off a strong start to the spring schedule at last week's Ram Invitational where three boats made Grand Final appearances. The V8 boat of Cate Donnelly, Maggie Coyne, Jalyn Colon, Sylvia Marks, Ava DeJong, Ella Cooper, Farrah Bardouille, Sarah Robillard and Natalia Peng earned CAA Boat of the Week laurels thanks to their performance at the event. They posted the largest winning margin for the 'Cats in their morning race against Sacred Heart at the Ram Invitational on Saturday, posting a 7:07.67 time that was 9.27 better than the Pioneers and sent them to the final Grand Final race of the day. They crossed second in that race with Rhode Island with a 7:02.61 time, the fastest of any Villanova boat on the day.
 
This weekend will be the fifth consecutive year that Villanova is racing in America's Biggest Collegiate Rowing Event. Last year on the Cooper River, its showing was highlighted by a 2V4 Petite Final victory that saw Abby Shang, Meg Wolf, Sarah McKee, Isabelle Rotival and Taylor Pansy cross in 8:37.66 for a three-second lead over the rest of the field. The V8 boat of Gianna Zajac, Maggie Coyne, Bailey Bryan, Sylvia Marks, Jalyn Colon, Jadyn Ramos, Cecilia Jenkins, Silvana Torres and Kira Capaldi made an appearance in the Grand Final, marking just the third time in the last 20 years that the 'Cats had a team competing for the Ann Harris Smith Memorial Trophy.
 
Villanova is set to race four boats in this weekend's event: the 2V4, V4, 2V8 and V8. Racing begins on Saturday with heats that will determine semifinal placements. The V4 semifinal is the only one slated to take place on Saturday with the rest of the action starting as early as 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
 
Fans who cannot make it to the Cooper River can watch a live stream of the action at the Knecht Cup's YouTube page with live results also being posted to Rowtown.

VIllanova will race with these lineups:

2V4 
C - Lorelei Cadorette
4 - Ella Larken
3 - Isabelle Rotival
2 - Taylor Pansy
1 - Lilly-Kate Foley
 
V4
C - Abby Shang
4 - Nicola Ranone
3 - Eliska Bohmanova
2 - Emmi Stanton
1 - Mary Eagle

2V8
Cox - Kate Shipley
8 - Sadhbh McDonnell
7 - Sabrina Pauli
6 - Sarah Kearney
5 - Silvana Torres
4 - Anabelle Wang
3 - Natalia Brozyna
2 - Abi Siddons
1 - Mary Tracy
 
V8
Cox - Cate Donnelly
8 - Maggie Coyne
7 - Jalyn Colon
6 - Sylvia Marks
5 - Ava DeJong
4 - Ella Cooper
3 - Farrah Bardouille
2 - Sarah Robillard
1 - Natalia Peng