SARASOTA, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle women's rowing team kicked off the 2021 season in style on Saturday, winning the FIRA Championship for the first time in program history. The Eagles, who finished sixth in 2018 and 2019, topped the standings with 64.5 points, finishing ahead of Stetson (60) and Barry (43).
 
The Blue and Gold got the day off to a good start, with Maricarin Minnock, Naomi Brooks, Rebecca McBride, Samantha Fank, and Kristen Vigna winning the Division II Varsity Four race in a time of 8:43.60.
 
ERAU grabbed another event win in the Varsity Eight, as Megan Byrne, Shelby Ernst, Irina Djurovic, Sofia Lorenzini, Gwendolyn Powell, Bethany Thompson, Alexandra Popielarz, Elise Dezotell, Kendra Sander rowing to a time of 7:50.29.
 
The Eagles collected yet another first place result when the team of Brooks, Ernst, Sander, Dezotell, and Vigna clocked a time of 8:48.11 to win the Freshman/Novice Four race.
 
Embry-Riddle finished third in the day's final race, the Varsity Four, posting a time of 8:26.78. In that boat was Minnock, Lorenzini, Helena Schmidt, Thompson, and Popielarz.
 
The Eagles will be back in action next weekend when they take part in the Stetson Invitational on Saturday, April 10.