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Philadelphia, PA (May 11, 2019) – The final day of the 81stannual Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta, presented by Independence Blue Cross, Coca-Cola and PECO culminated in record fashion.
Although the premier events, the men’s and women’s Varsity Heavyweight Eight race, were not captured by any of the local participating schools, the Temple Owls won the Jack Bratton Trophy (Overall Team points) and the Jack & Nancy Seitz Trophy (Women’s Point Trophy) for the first time since 1996 and the Drexel Dragons won the Kerr Trophy (Men’s Point Trophy) for the first time since 2013.
Buoyed by the women, who rowed in the Dad Vail for the first time in five years, Temple University finished with 52 points due in large part to three victories by the women (JV Eight, Third Varsity Eight and JV Four) and two second place finishes by the men (Freshman/Novice Eight and Lightweight Eight). By finishing atop the standings for the overall point trophy, Temple snapped Drexel University’s six-year reign.
Boston University returned to Philadelphia to try and defend their Varsity Heavyweight Eight women’s crown. After finishing second out of 23 boats in the time trials to advance to the semi-finals, the Terriers assumed control winning their semi-final heat by nine seconds before coming back the following afternoon to win their second consecutive Varsity Heavyweight Eight title by holding off a feisty Drexel who tried to catch the Terriers but fell short in the end.
The men’s Varsity Heavyweight Eight race was being touted as a prize fight and the schools did not disappoint. In the end it was the Colgate Red Raiders who rowed to victory in record fashion to claim the program’s first ever win in the premier event at the Dad Vail. Their time of 5:30.5 broke a course record. As the team’s fought hard to cross the finish line, the Drexel Dragons stormed back but the Raiders held off the fierce charge to claim victory.
Also enjoying fine performances were Saint Joseph’s who used a victory in the men’s third varsity eight to help the Hawks finish third in the men with 19 points. Mercyhurst University won five events that began with the Varsity Pair and concluded with Varsity Lightweight Eight with wins in the Men’s 2X, Men’s 4X and Men’s Varsity Lightweight Four sandwiched in between.
About: :http://www.jefferson.edu/university.html>
Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) is a leader in transdisciplinary, experiential professional education. Jefferson, home of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, is a comprehensive university delivering high-impact education in 160 undergraduate and graduate programs to 7,800 students in architecture, business, design, engineering, fashion, health, medicine, science and textiles. Jefferson is reimaging the higher education value proposition with an approach that is collaborative and active; increasingly global; integrated with industry; focused on research across disciplines to foster innovation and discovery; and technology-enhanced. Student-athletes compete as the Jefferson Rams in the NCAA Division II Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.
