Kansas Women’s Rowing Team Secures Dillons Sunflower Showdown Victory
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – For the second consecutive year, the Dillons Sunflower Showdown trophy has been claimed by the Kansas women’s rowing team. The Jayhawks triumphed over Kansas State with a decisive score of 17-5 at Wyandotte County Lake on Saturday morning.
Race Highlights
The competition featured five races, out of which Kansas won three: the 1 Varsity 8+, 2 Varsity 8+, and 2 Varsity 4+ events. Notably, Kansas made a strong start, quickly establishing an early lead.
Performance Overview
- 2 Varsity 4+: The crew comprising Kayley Chism, Grace Bailey, Carmen Arkin, Taylor Lindberg, and Catherine Bachovchin recorded a winning time of 7:24.877, finishing seven seconds ahead of Kansas State and 21 seconds before Creighton.
- 1 Varsity 8+: In this race, Kansas secured nine points, with Audrey Owens, Emma Wistuba, Gracie Shepherd, Tammy Keller, Karly Larson, Kara Lyons, Amber Cayci, Aylin Schafer, and Laura Teska finishing first in a time of 6:23.621, edging out Kansas State by nearly three seconds.
- 2 Varsity 8+: This crew, consisting of Sarah Sutton, Ava Black, Anastasiia Draha, Lindsey True, Sophie Pense, Alessandra Vedder, Rory Brennan, Sofia D’Ascenzo, and Katia Ustiuzhanina, contributed significantly to the victory with a time of 6:39.041, achieving a five-second lead over their competitors.
- Final Fours Race: In a tightly contested event, the Kansas crew finished second with a time of 7:31.084, allowing Kansas State to secure its first win of the day.
- 3 Varsity 8+: This race concluded in a nail-biting finish, with Kansas State narrowly triumphing over Kansas by just 0.27 seconds.
Coach’s Comments
Following the event, Kansas head coach Carrie Cook Callen remarked, “It’s always great when you are in a race and get your bow-ball out ahead and have that winning feeling. We’re grateful for the wins we captured today and look towards taking forward steps in our execution on May 18th at the Big 12 Championship.”
Senior Day Recognition
The event also featured a special recognition of fifteen senior rowers, including Ava Black, Amber Cayci, Rylee Crowell, Jacie Goff, and others. Coach Cook-Callen acknowledged the impact of the seniors on the team, stating, “Today being senior day is always a special day. We have a large group that have made a great impact on this team… They’ll be a part of the family forever, and we’re super grateful for the opportunity to celebrate them.”
Dillons Sunflower Showdown Scoring Summary
| Event | Score |
|---|---|
| 1V8 | Kansas 9 |
| 2V8 | Kansas 6 |
| 1V4 | Kansas State 3 |
| 2V4 | Kansas 2 |
| 3V8 | Kansas State 2 |
Final Score: Kansas 17, Kansas State 5
Looking Ahead
The Jayhawks are set to continue their season with the upcoming Big 12 Championships, scheduled for May 18 in Sarasota, Florida.
