NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State University rowing team recently concluded a successful season as its Women’s Varsity 4+ team finished in the top five in the nation.
The team of Victoria Dettinger of Rochester, Minnesota, Madison Szekely of Baton Rouge, Julia Laperouse of Lafayette, Kirsten Knobloch of Kenner and Emmett Nobles of Natchitoches (coxswain) finished fifth at the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championships behind Lafayette College, Bowdoin College, the University of Colorado and Florida State University.
The National Championships was the first time all season the Women’s Varsity 4+ finished out of the top four at a regatta. They won the Louisiana State Championships and the Texas-Kansas-LSU Tri Meet, finished second at the Head of the Colorado and the Percy Priest Sprints and fourth at the Frostbite Regatta and the SIRA Conference Championships. The fourth-place finish at the conference championship was the best since 2016.
Dettinger was named All-South Region and is a finalist for All-American which will be announced June 8. Laperouse was selected as First Team Academic All-American. Szekely and Dettinger were selected as Second Team Academic All-Americans.
NSU’s Women’s 2x consisting of Katriane Creel of Shreveport and Kennedie Stewart of Starks finished 14th overall. The Men’s 1x rowed by Stephen Juneau of Boyce finished 19th overall.
Other season highlights include a 12th place finish by the Men’s Varsity 4+ at the conference championships (SIRA) and a berth in the B Final. That is the highest finish for the MV4+ since 2007. NSU’s Women’s Novice 4+ finished 11th at SIRA and the Men’s Novice 4+ finished 12th.
At the conference championships the members of the MV4 were Joshua Hensel of Bossier City, Ryan Johnson of Kenner, Juneau, Thomas Schneider of Bossier City, and Pretty’unje Hunter of Monroe (coxswain). The WV4+ was Szekely, Dettinger, Laperouse, Keri Adams of Keithville and Nobles. The WN4+ was Mikana Ikemura of Okinawa, Japan, Knobloch, Stewart, Creel and Olivia Habetz of Jennings (cox). The MN4+ consisted of Caleb Poor of Royse City, Texas, Gage Gold of Homer, Christopher Acker of Diboll, Texas, Brody Garlington of Montgomery and Meghan Goss of Alexandria (cox).
