CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - In the Patriot League's first weekly awards announcement of the 2019 season, the Navy women's crew program was recognized as its first varsity eight crew was noted as the league's Boat of the Week. The Mids were honored for their effort at the Cooper Sprints competition in Cherry Hill, N.J. this past Sunday.

Taking on a 15-team field that included three squads in the the USRowing/CRCA top-20 or just outside in the receiving votes section, Navy's first varsity eight was strong throughout the day as the Mids won their respective heat in the morning as they turned in a 6:44.33 result, the third fastest overall in the heats. Later on Sunday in the grand final, Navy shaved 10 seconds off its time and came in third place at 6:34.04 behind Rutgers and Duke, respectively.

Navy's V8 lineup at the event consisted of coxswain Elizabeth Drake (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa.), Caroline Kelly (Jr., Charlotte, N.C.), Megan Hanson (Sr., Woody Creek, Colo.), Alexandria Vallancey-Martinson (So., Corvallis, Ore.), Ashlyn Dawson (Jr., Annapolis, Md.), Emily Krulik (Jr., Martinsville, Ind.), Grace Lawrence (Jr., Haverford, Pa.), Elizabeth Downing (So., West Lafayette, Ind.) and Raye Brackett (Jr., Twin Falls, Idaho).

The Mids will continue early-season action this Saturday with competition at the Doc Hosea Invitational on the Cooper River.