Trey Farley
tlf003@marietta.edu
The Marietta College-Purdue University Challenge Cup is a duel style race that has pitted the two schools against each other for over sixty years to date. The teams meet at several regattas throughout the year including the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta and the prestigious Dad Vail regatta. Despite the numerous meetings these teams have each year, the MC-Purdue challenge cup is the only time the teams get to face each other one on one.
The most recent meeting was the 61st iteration of the challenge cup and was held at Eagle Creek State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. The weather was unfavorable with ominous rain clouds and consistent 12 miles per hour winds and waves that crashed over the gunnels of every shell on the course. In spite of this, the Marietta College varsity eight was able to defeat Purdue by five seconds bringing the cup back to Marietta for the first time in five years.
The winning Marietta lineup consisted of coxswain Chrissy Billingsley, Jack Gleim in the stroke seat, Matthew Bush, Sam Johnson, Evan Odom, William Hooper, Bryce Griffin, Ethan Schafhausen and Angelo Leitner-Wise in the bow.
The women’s crew team was also able to come away with a victory over Purdue in the Women’s varsity four race that preceded the men’s competition The winning women’s shell included coxswain Loren Coontz, Mandi Medykowski in the stroke seat, Marissa Jeswald, Payton Wright, and Shelbi Westfield in the bow.
The Pioneers will be back on the water on Apr. 8. Both the men and women will travel to Lake Mercer, New Jersey to compete in the Knecht Cup.
