Photo Gallery 
May 2, 2015
BARABOO, Wis. --- The ninth-ranked Wisconsin women's rowing team's day included seven victories in seven races at the Devil's Lake Challenge, as well as a spectacular debut for the new 2000-meter race course at Devil's Lake State Park.
The south shore was lined with rowing family, friends and fans on a 75-degree Saturday under mostly sunny skies. Even Chancellor Rebecca Blank watched from up high on one of the bluffs.
Despite winds that reached over 20 miles per hour at times, Devil's Lake proved up to the task as its bluffs shielded most of the course, with only the start showing signs of the wind on the water.
"Devil's Lake was such a treat," associate head coach Megan Cooke Carcagno remarked. "It is a special place for me and my family and now it is a special place for Wisconsin rowing.
"Kudos to all of the people who made this happen today -- Mary Browning, Shane Burgess, Max and Tim -- everyone who put this together. It was incredible. They did such a great job.
"Thanks also to Michigan State and Minnesota for giving this race course a test run with us. I hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.
"Having the band there and the 75 degrees didn't hurt at all. It was a great day and a great day to be a Badger."
Wisconsin's on-water success helped make the event special as well, with its NCAA boats -- the varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four -- each beating Minnesota and Michigan State to the finish line.
UW's varsity eight timed 6:55.341, over eight seconds faster than second-place Minnesota, who crossed in 7:03.971. Michigan State placed third in 7:11.529.
The Badgers' victory in the race gave it the Burnin' Blade, for its win over the Gophers. It marked the fourth time in the five-year history of the trophy race that UW was victorious.
Wisconsin's second varsity eight won its contest in a time of 7:09.745, again over eight seconds better than Minnesota. The Gophers were second in 7:18.114, with Michigan State third in 7:24.074.
The Badgers' varsity four made it a clean sweep for UW in the NCAA events with a nearly 28-second margin of victory. The Badgers raced to a time of 8:10.252, with Minnesota second in 8:38.052, and MSU third in 8:45.380.
In addition to the Burnin' Blade, UW is in its fifth year racing for The Hammer against Minnesota's novice eight. For the fifth year, The Hammer will spend the year in Madison after UW won the event. In one of the tightest finishes of the day, the Badgers rowed 2000 meters in 7:16.468, ahead of second-place Michigan State in 7:18.663. Minnesota placed third in 7:45.064.
Badger boats also won races in the second varsity four, third varsity four and second novice eight during the day.
"I think we did a really good job,' Cooke Carcagno said. "Obviously we brought home The Hammer and the Burnin' Blade awards, but more importantly we showed that we can train really hard and race really hard and put ourselves in good position for the Big Ten championships in two weeks.
"I think in every single race that we did today we showed we have a lot of boat speed and these women are really hungry."
Today's races against Big Ten competition served as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 Big Ten Championships, which is UW's next race of the spring. The conference championships take place in Indianapolis on May 16-17.
"I'm really proud of the team," Cooke Carcagno finished. "The way they stepped up. The way they prepared. The way they executed. The way they handled themselves this weekend. We are really looking forward to lining up at Big Tens and seeing how we do against the rest of the field."
Devil's Lake Challenge
May 2, 2015
Baraboo, Wis.
Devil's Lake
2000 meters
Varsity Eight
1. Wisconsin, 6:55.341; 2. Minnesota, 7:03.971; 3. Michigan State, 7:11.529
UW Lineup -- Coxswain Lily Hansen, Hannah Schwartz, Kristine Kammers, Gillian Cooper, Sophia Vitas, Steph Malchine, Brianna Dahm, Dani Steinberg, Anna Knutson
Second Varsity Eight
1. Wisconsin, 7:09.745; 2. Minnesota, 7:18.114; 3. Michigan State, 7:24.074
UW Lineup -- Coxswain Marie Hebert, Anne Rauschert, Libby O'Rourke, Maria Schmid, Katie Muench, Claire Scott, Elizabeth Schoenfeldt, Madeleine Wanamaker, Nicole Hettmann
Varsity Four
1. Wisconsin, 8:10.252; 2. Minnesota, 8:38.052; 3. Michigan State, 8:45.380
UW Lineup -- Coxswain Katherine Condon, Kelsey Kramer, Pamela Schommer, Margo Grover, Marissa Gibson
Second Varsity Four
1. Wisconsin, 8:25.594; 2. Minnesota, 8:46.081
UW Lineup -- Coxswain Katherine Moy, Laine Maher, Sophie Carr, Frances LaBudda, Sophie Heywood
Novice Eight
1. Wisconsin, 7:16.468; 2. Michigan State, 7:18.663; 3. Minnesota, 7:45.064
UW Lineup -- Coxswain Beth Yudelman, Monica Gerber, Gabby Simons, Morganne Freeman, Cheyenne Brandt, Lexi Siverling, Jessie Bowden, Lucy Chadderton, Megan Whitehouse
Second Novice Eight
1. Wisconsin, 7:45.548; 2. Michigan State, 7:58.901; 3. Minnesota, 8:48.704
UW Lineup -- Coxswain Rosie Brezynski, Emma Strenski, Maren Schultz, Callie Hebert, Alexandra Tead, Sophie Schmidt, Natalie Treister, Diana Glinos, Catherine Thompson
Third Varsity Four
1. Wisconsin 3V4, 8:12.487; 2. Wisconsin F4, 8:35.035; 3. Minnesota, 9:05.402
Third Varsity Four -- Coxswain Dainne Maglaque, Rachel Gendreau, Sarah Lueken, Amanda Morris, Kelly McGarry
Freshman Four -- Coxswain Abi Kaliska, Kaitlin McKeogh, Meagan Hudson, Katie Pickup, Molly Romaniak
