Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Michigan State
Lightweight Rowing Completes First-Ever Competition
10/3/2026 11:00:00 PM | Lightweight Rowing
Eastern's Ava Vanderboon and Brooke Shellenbarger competed at MSU's Head of the Grand
EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's rowing team made history Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Head of the Grand, as the program's newly established lightweight rowing unit competed in its first-ever race, entering a Women's Open 2x event and finishing third with a time of 15:54.0.
The double scull entry — the first in program history at the Head of the Grand — placed ahead of three other entries in a six-boat field. Michigan State Women A took the top spot in 15:07.3, followed by Michigan State Women B in 15:31.2. Eastern Michigan's 15:54.0 edged Forest Hills Northeastern A (4th, 16:30.4) and Grand Rapids A (5th, 16:33.0), both high school programs from the Grand Rapids area, as well as MSU A (6th, 16:53.8).
Brooke Shellenbarger (Lowell, Mich./Lowell) and Ava Vanderboon (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern) made up the Eastern Michigan double scull, competing under the direction of coach Lucie Roy. The result marks the first competitive outing for EMU's lightweight rowing program, which launched in 2026-27 with Roy serving as head lightweight rowing coach. The Women's Open 2x is a boat class new to the program; all prior Head of the Grand entries for Eastern Michigan came in large-boat configurations including the V8+, 2V8+, V4+ and N8+.
The Eagles competed against a field that included two Michigan State University women's entries along with two high school programs from the Grand Rapids area, finishing between the two collegiate entries above them and the prep competition below — a competitive showing for a program entering a new discipline for the first time.
Director of Rowing Kemp Savage is in his 13th season leading Eastern Michigan in 2026-27. The program, founded in 2001-02, is competing in the MAC in 2026-27, making this its second year of conference competition.
UP NEXT: Eastern Michigan returns to the water Saturday, Oct. 10, hosting Wisconsin and Michigan State in a Small Boats Race at the Rowing Course at Ford Lake in Ypsilanti, Mich.
Results Below | Results Link | Results (PDF)
Women's Open 2x (Brooke Shellenbarger, Lowell, Mich./Lowell / Ava Vanderboon, Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Eastern — coach Lucie Roy) | 3rd | 15:54.0
MSUW A | 1st | 15:07.3
MSUW B | 2nd | 15:31.2
Eastern Michigan | 3rd | 15:54.0
Forest Hills Northeastern A (HS) | 4th | 16:30.4
Grand Rapids A (HS) | 5th | 16:33.0
MSU A | 6th | 16:53.8
