Brock Men's Rowing places second at Nationals, women fifth

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Ben Cushnie named Oarsman of the Year, Purcer named Men's Coach of the Year

VICTORIA, BC - The Brock University men's and women's rowing teams put forth a strong performance at the 2010 Canadian University Rowing Championships with the men placing second overall and the women placing fifth. The host Vikes captured both the men's and women's crowns.

At the CURC Awards banquet Sunday night, Brock's Ben Cushnie was named the Oarsman of the Year with Mike Purcer being named the Coach of the Year.

Cushnie helped Brock defend their title in the lightweight coxed four and was also a member of the eight that clinched silver. In addition to his wins at the CURC, the Welland, Ont. native was also a member of the first Canadian eight to ever the Dad Vail regatta, and won two gold at the Canadian Henley.

Brock's top performance of the CURCs came in the men's lightweight four consisting of Cushnie, Brendan Coffey, Cory Machesney, Sylas Coletto and (cox) Sia Dekaneas who repeated their title, capturing a two-length victory (6:40.94) over silver-medalist Victoria (6:45.06).

The Men's Open Eight of Cushnie, Coffey, Coletto, Mike Lewis, Travis King, Josh Gracin, Mark Alm, Keegan Drummond and Dekaneas had a strong race finishing with a silver medal in a time of 5:57.08, three seconds behind first place Victoria (5:54.14).

The Lightweight Mens Double of Jake Cushnie and Matt Schenck placed fourth overall (6:48.38) with the Men's Open Pair of Drummond and Alm placing fifth overall (7:13.60).  In both singles, Jake Cushnie (LWT Single - 7:51.15) and Jake Martens (open single - 8:01.25) both placed sixth. 

The Brock women also came home with two medals with their top finish coming in the Women's Open Eight which saw Britt Ellis, Megan Tucker, Stephanie Mowder, Cayley Firth, Kate Nay, Shawn Bright, Jenna Burke, Keelin Greenwall and (cox) Nicky Morrison row to a season best silver medal performance (6:56.73).  

The Women's Lightweight Four of Nay, Greenlaw, Burke, Beth Nelson and Morrison captured bronze finishing in a time of 7:45.14.

Both the Women's Lightweight Double of Nicole McLure and Teresa Hill and Women's Open Pair of Mowder and Tucker finished in seventh place. Ellis was eighth in the Women's Open Single with Nelson placing tenth in the Women's Lightweight Single.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

Men
1. Victoria, 123 points
2. Brock, 93
3. UBC, 85
4. Western, 77
5. Guelph, 58
6. Trent, 51
7. Queen's, 42
8. Alberta, 41
9. Calgary, 36
10. McMaster, 22
11. Fraser Valley, 17
12. Laurentian, 9
13. Winnipeg, 5
14. Vancouver Island, 5
15. Manitoba, 2
16. ETS, 2

Women
1. Victoria, 108 points
2. Western, 93
3. UBC, 78
4. Queen's 75
5. Brock, 72
6. Ottawa, 54
7. Toronto, 50
8. Calgary, 47
9. Guelph, 43
10. Fraser Valley, 35
11. Trent, 30
12. Alberta, 15
13. Winnipeg, 12
14. McGill, 10
15. Laurentian, 8
16. McMaster, 5