PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — The Marietta College women's crew continued its historic season Saturday (May 14) when the varsity 8+ captured a gold medal on the Schuylkill River at the 74th annual Aberdeen Dad Vail Rowing Championship, presented by Coca-Cola. [Results]

The gold medal was the fourth in the program's history and just the second in the varsity 8+. The Pioneers' last Dad Vail victory came in 2004 when they won the Division II/III Varsity Heavyweight 8+ race.

"I am absolutely thrilled for the women and the program," Head Coach Kelly Harris said. "These women are incredible, and I feel privileged to work with such a mature and talented group of young women. Hard work does pay off, and we certainly put in thousands of meters and hours to win on a day like today."

Coxswain #Megan Oxley (Clarksburg, N.J./Allentown)#, stroke #Kelli Barnette (Parkersburg, W.Va./South)#, #Abigail Klicker (Avalon Borough, Pa./Northgate)#, #Anja Curwen (Carlisle Pa./St. Bouaventure)#, #Natalie Gravelsins (Eastlake/Eastlake North)#, #Taryn Wilson (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa)#, #Trisha Wendel (Chagrin Falls/Kenston)#, #Katherine Tedesco (Upper Arlington/Upper Arlington)# and bow #Alyse McNeill (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area)# competed against three other schools in the Division III final-only event. The Pioneers covered the 2,000m course in 7:15.21. They finished more than three seconds ahead of second place Emory, who crossed the line in 7:18.90. Rochester took third with a time of 7:23.01, while Skidmore trailed in 7:25.05.

"Dad Vail gold was goal #2 for the season," Harris said. "Goal #1 was winning the MARC. Our last goal is NCAA's so goal #3 will soon be happening. I couldn't have asked for a better end to the season."

Marietta's varsity 8+, the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference champions, will make its first ever NCAA Division III Championship appearance May 27-29 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif. The Pioneers also rowed in the 1999 NCAA Championship when it was an event that combined NCAA Division I, II and III teams into one category.

The Pioneers' varsity 4+, which featured coxswain #Liz Luckenbaugh (Akron/Our Lady of the Elms)#, stroke #Christina Beltran-Revilla (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel Area)#, #Alycia Kime (Sicklerville, N.J./Winslow Township)#, #Kelly Moses (Lyndhurst/Brush)# and bow #Brooke Exley (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville Area)#, also competed at Dad Vails and had its season end in Saturday's semifinals after the shell placed fifth by rowing a time of 8:18.66.