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Sweeping all races, UCLA rowing celebrates Senior Day with win over LMU

An eight-boat slides across the water. UCLA swept the dual against Loyola Marymount on Saturday. (Myka Fromm/Daily Bruin)

By Amelie Ionescu

April 24, 2023 1:19 p.m.

Peaks and valleys have littered the Bruins’ season, but through it all, their camaraderie held strong.

And on Senior Day, it resulted in a win.

UCLA rowing (1-1) bested Loyola Marymount for the third year in a row Saturday at the UCLA Boathouse in Marina Del Rey. The Bruins took the day to honor their seniors as they swept all three races and showcased two boats in an exhibition.

Coach Previn Chandraratna – who officially took over at the helm of the program before the start of the season – said the team focused on itself rather than the competition to secure the win.

“In the end, rowing is a speed sport,” Chandraratna said. “We’re just trying to go down the course as fast as we can. And ultimately, that’s a pretty internal experience foremost. Beyond that, then you just got to turn on the competitive intensity when things get tight.”

UCLA began the day with a win by its varsity eight boat, which downed LMU with more than 25 seconds to spare. The Bruins followed up their performance by having both their second and third varsity eight boats emerge in front of the Lions’ second varsity eight.

Saturday’s regatta was the only home regatta of the season for UCLA. Varsity eight port Olivia Caesar said the familiar water and the supporters in attendance provided the team comfort.

“It’s really special to be able to get those home events,” the senior said. “We have so many friends and family that come. The UCLA alumni band comes to our home race every year, and that is always so special because they are always so excited, and they’re on the roof of the boathouse playing the whole time with us.”

Caesar was one of the seniors honored at the post-regatta ceremony. The two-time All-Pac-12 honoree has led the Bruins as their captain since last year, alongside senior port Jane DiLauro.

Part of the second varsity eight, DiLauro said the Bruins battled rough conditions to improve from the beginning half of the race and stay positive. She added that her boat tried to stay within 10 seconds of the varsity eight squad – a feat it ultimately accomplished by finishing just seven seconds slower.

Yet for DiLauro, it was the team dynamic that meant the most to her.

“It was just so beautiful to have my team be celebrating Senior Day,” DiLauro said. “The celebration that we had all together was so special. … The girls on the team, the culture, is so beautiful and so important to me.”

To finish off the team’s sweep, the blue and gold’s varsity four beat its LMU counterpart with nearly a minute between the boats. UCLA’s second varsity four and novice eight also participated in exhibition rows at the close of the official races.

No matter the result, Caesar emphasized the bond the Bruins have cultivated through the season.

“It’s such a special day having Senior Day because we really do have a really phenomenal team culture, and I think that that is really felt through the whole squad,” Caesar said. “It’s so lovely to be able to celebrate my senior class. It’s been a long four years, but we’ve just had love on the team that we know will keep going.”

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Amelie Ionescu | Sports senior staff
Ionescu was previously an assistant Sports editor on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, swim and dive and rowing beats, and a contributor on the women's tennis beat.
Ionescu was previously an assistant Sports editor on the men's volleyball, women's volleyball, swim and dive and rowing beats, and a contributor on the women's tennis beat.
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