CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Competing in its first-ever Head of the Charles Regatta on Sunday, the Catholic University women's rowing team placed 34th in the Women's Championship Eights.

One of the premier Regattas in the world, the 56th Head Of The Charles was held this weekend for the first time in two years after the race was canceled last year due to COVID. 

Sunday's racing on the Charles River took place under sunny skies and a light headwind with temperatures in the upper 50s.

Catholic completed the three-mile course in 19:15.378 to place 34th out of 40 crews that competed. Rowing for the Cardinals was stroke Christine Faber, 7 Meg Higgins, 6 Liz Dorrian, 5 Kelli Rasmussen, 4 Alec Bonjolo, 3 Libby Dobrzynski, 2 Hannah Martin and bow Glynn Bradley with coxswain Libby Hodgkins.

Mercyhurst won the event with a time of 17:16.794 while Wellesley was second at 17:19.578 and Bates rounded out the podium in a time of 17:22.050.

Catholic finished nearly five seconds ahead of UC Santa Barbara while also finishing ahead of Simmons, Hamilton, Illinois, Vassar and Johnson & Wales.

The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, Oct. 30 at the Head of the Schuylkill in Philadelphia, Pa.