PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Notre Dame women’s rowing team’s varsity eight earned BIG EAST Boat of the Week honors in the first weekly awards of the 2013 season. The crew won two races and placed second in another at the season-opening Oak Ridge/Cardinal Invitational on Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

The crew of coxswain Abby Meyers, Molly Bruggerman, Anna Kottkamp, Ailish Sheehan, Erin Boxberger, Stephanie O’Neill, Courtney Gaberino, Joanna Mulvey, and Joanna Poinsatte claimed runner-up honors against a launch from defending national champion Virginia in the first race on March 16 and later defeated Duke and Kansas. In the first race, the crew finished in 6:36.02 and finished 5.58 seconds ahead of Georgetown. In the winning race, they posted a time of 6:40.70 to finish 4.10 seconds ahead of the Blue Devils. On March 17, the Fighting Irish defeated Louisville with a time of 6:39.50 and a margin of victory of 3.67 seconds. Notre Dame ranked No. 14 in the 2013 preseason CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll.

This Week in BIG EAST Women’s Rowing: