Madeline Burke, a 2015 graduate of Verona High School, will be heading to Florida later this week with the Worcester Polytechnic Institute women’s rowing team to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships for the first time in WPI program history.
Burke is the coxswain of WPI’s second varsity eight and a computer science major. Last year, she was one of 11 WPI women’s rowers to earn Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association National Scholar-Athlete status. Burke, who ran track and cross country for VHS, hasn’t been the only Veronan competing with WPI rowing: fellow junior David Bovich, who graduated from Saint Peter’s Prep, crews the men’s second varsity eight. The mens teams ended their season earlier in May at the National Invitational Rowing Championship (NIRC).
The women’s second varsity eight defeated Ithaca this past weekend in the NIRC petite final. It also split with Pacific Lutheran at the beginning of April and, like the varsity eight, has faced six of the seven Division III teams as Washington College did not make a trip to NIRC this season.
The women’s varsity eight has been a mainstay in the CRCA/USRowing Division III Coaches Poll the past three seasons, including the top ten during the past two springs. This past weekend, the third-ranked Engineers lived up to their ranking by finishing third to No. 1 Bates and No. 2 Ithaca at the National Invitation Rowing Championships. They also defeated Wesleyan twice, as well as Williams in the final and No. 10 William Smith in the morning heat. At the New England Rowing Championships, WPI again defeated the Cardinals twice while also topping Wellesley, Williams and No. 9 Tufts in the grand final.
Burke, far left, with her crew.