The North Carolina rowing team finished the fall season with a strong performance at the Head of the Hooch.
What happened?
In their final competition of the fall, the Tar Heels had a successful weekend at Head of the Hooch rowing contest on Tennessee River. Three teams earned top-10 finishes — with the Novice eight winning gold, the second novice eight earning ninth and the UNC varsity eight garnering a seventh-place finish.
Who stood out?
The novice eight won gold for the Tar Heels this weekend. The boat consisting of coxswain Sophia Perkins, Alexandra Barry, Abby Hudspeth, Caleigh Sewell, Bridget Tarnowski, Katie Bell, Alex Lutton, Melanie Hussey and Sally Stanley topped all other groups in their race. The race capped off a very productive fall season for the unit, and they will now turn their sites to training for the spring season.
When was it decided?
This solid performance was ultimately decided in the boat, in the early morning where the team has worked to craft its skill all season. Coach Sarah Haney expressed great pleasure in the Tar Heels' improvement from the last time they took the river, praising the progress her team has made so far this season. In turn, the progress has led to a good deal of depth on the UNC team, which bodes well for the spring campaign.
Why does it matter?
The performance in this weekend’s Head of the Hooch is a great momentum booster going into the offseason. It allows the team to understand what went well, and what needs to be improved moving forward. It also is a huge confidence booster for the Novice Eight, as the gold was its highest finish of the season.
