Duke came in 2nd in the ACC Tournament

CLEMSON, S.C. ? The Duke rowing team finished second behind seven-time champion Virginia at Saturday?s seventh-annual ACC Championship held at Lake Hartwell. Duke head coach Robyn Horner was named the ACC Coach of the Year for the second time in her career while seniors Caroline Wray and Tonia Boock and sophomore Lia Hart were named to the All-ACC Team.

Virginia, who has won the ACC Championship in each of the seven years it has been held, swept all four races on Saturday, winning the team title with 60 points. Duke finished second with 43 team points, Miami placed third with 34 points and Clemson was fourth with 30 points. Boston College placed fifth with 25 points while North Carolina finished sixth with 17 points.

Duke placed second despite competing in only three of the four races. The Blue Devils did not enter a boat in the novice eight race.

In the opening race of the morning, the Blue Devils varsity four crew of coxswain Samantha Prouty, Meghan O'Toole, Sara Couch, Meredith Metcalf and Mary Lilley finished third with a time of 7:46.50. The Cavaliers won easily with a time of 7:23.40, followed by Clemson (7:40.30), Duke, Miami (7:49.60), Boston College (7:50.70) and North Carolina (8:16.20).

The Cavaliers then took first in the novice eight race, winning with a time of 6:50.10.

In the second varsity eight race, Duke?s crew of coxswain Katie Tobin, Iraina Miles, Katrina Weschler, Michelle Lancto, Kate Kearney, Alison Sagar, Jacki Burmeister, Laura Dopson and Liz Martin placed second with a time of 6:50.80. Virginia took first with a time of 6:36.60, followed by Duke, Boston College (6:55.80), Miami (6:57.70), Clemson (7:01.80) and North Carolina (7:04.70).

The first varsity eight race was the final and most exciting race of the morning. Virginia edged the Blue Devil crew of coxswain Sarah Shapiro, Tonia Boock, Lia Hart, Virginia Kane, Alissa Van Arnam, Emily Herrington, Caroline Wray, Krista Harryman and Emma Darling with a time of 6:31.00, narrowly beating Duke?s time of 6:31.90. Miami finished third with a time of 6:39.10, followed by Clemson (6:43.30), North Carolina (6:44.50) and Boston College (6:47.40).

The 14-member All-ACC Team was comprised of coxswain Caitlin Mixter (Virginia), Kerry Maher (Virginia), Melanie Kok (Virginia), Sara Lippa (Virginia), Crystal MacLeod (Virginia), Lia Hart (Duke), Caroline Wray (Duke), Tonia Boock (Duke), Rachel Clausing (Miami), Laura Coltman (Miami), Sarah Cooper (Clemson), Jaclyn Rath (Clemson), Bridget Regan (Boston College) and Lisy McIntee (North Carolina).

Wray, Boock and Hart?s selections give the Blue Devils 12 All-ACC performers in team history.

Virginia's second varsity eight crew earned ACC Crew of the Year honors. That squad featured coxswain Michelle Ellison, Mindy Fiesler, Mieke Pitts, Katrin Sydlik, Andria Haneman, Kelsie Chaudoin, Sara Lippa, Anna Samaha and Crystal MacLeod.

Duke grabbed a 12-10 lead in this year?s Carlyle Cup standings by finishing four spots ahead of North Carolina in Saturday?s ACC Championship.