With a number of spring varsity sports at a lull, women’s novice crew went to the Indianapolis Invitational Regatta and shocked a number of bigger schools en route to taking first.

The team raced two boats in the eight-team grand final, which included boats from Northwestern, Colorado, Wheaton, and Ohio State. Chicago’s A boat, coxed by Kate Michonski and rowed by Emily Sayer, Alison Wendlandt, Sarah Jubinski, and Sarah Lyons, won the invitational by more than 15 seconds.

The Maroons B boat came in fifth in the competition. The women’s and men’s varsity teams added fifth- and sixth-place finishes in their respective grand finals.

The women’s novice team won the event coming off of a successful fall and winter that included a third place in the fall’s American Heritage Regatta in Detroit, Michigan and a sweep of the top four spots at the winter’s 2004 Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships. They added a second-place finish two weeks ago at a regatta involving other UAA teams.

The last event for the Maroons crew team will be the Dad Vail on May 7 and 8 at the nation’s largest intercollegiate regatta. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania competition involves more than 100 colleges from the United States and Canada.