Big Ten Network : Rowing Top Stories

MSU leads Big Ten at NCAA Championships

Sun, 31 May 2009 14:55:00 +0000

A quartet of Big Ten rowing teams completed action at the NCAA Championships on Sunday in Cherry Hill, NJ. Read the school releases below: SPARTANS TAKE SIXTH AT CHAMPIONSHIPS The Michigan State rowing team wrapped up competition at the NCAA National Championship regatta on Sunday with strong performances from each of its three entries. The varsity eight, second varsity eight, and varsity four each won their respective races with strong efforts after a rough day on Saturday with fifth-place finishes in the semifinals of the varsity and second varsity races - which followed the four being relegated to the third-level final on Friday. As a team, MSU finished in sixth place with 54 points, tying its best finish in school history. The Spartans also finished sixth in 2006 and again in 2008. Stanford won the varsity eight race with a bowball margin over Virginia, as well as the team title with 88 points. Cal (85), Yale (85), Virginia (78) and Brown (71) were the top five team finishers. "Yesterday, our two eights kind of fell off during the middle of the race, and that kept them from challenging to get into today's grand finals," shared head coach Matt Weise. "Today, they didn't do that, and we saw how capable they were of having good races here. Its unfortunate that yesterday was such a struggle for us, but we're very happy with their results today." OSU RIDES FIRST VARSITY FOUR TO EIGHTH PLACE Compiling 49 team points, the Ohio State rowing team finished eighth at the 2009 NCAA Championships Sunday at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, N.J. At the conclusion of the three-day event, the Buckeyes were paced by the First Varsity Four's first-place finish in the Petite Final for the second-consecutive year. Finishing seventh overall, t he First Varsity Four took an early and commanding lead it would not relinquish. Finishing the first 500 meters in 1:47.02, the Buckeye crew of Anniken Ellingsen, Ellen Heister, Claudia Schiwy, Farrah Edwards and coxswain Kristin DiJosie maintained at least a two-second lead over Brown through the 1,000 and 1,500 meter stretches. Ohio State sounded the horn in 7:27.14, while Brown followed in 7:28.10. Washington rounded out the Top 3, finishing in 7:30.68. Lindsey Titus, Katie Flarida, Claudia Wurzel, Tess Prescott, Erin Shropshire, Caroline McPherson, Ingrid Aasaaren, Sara Wallace and coxswain Samantha Getz, who make up the Buckeye 2V8, finished second in the Petite Final and eighth overall. The crew finished the first 500 meters in third place, but overcame the USC boat at the 1,000-meter mark to move into second place. Runner-up is how Ohio State (6:42.85) would finish, 5.02 seconds behind heat winner Michigan State (6:37.83). The Trojans clocked in at 6:46.19 for third place. The 14th-ranked 1V8 – Claudia Herpertz, Ulrike Denker, Johnna Burns, Zuza Trzcinska, Peta-Leigh Dakyns, Carolin Helmholz, Susi Herbrand, Charlott Goldstein and coxswain Erika Benford – finished fourth in the Petite Final and 10th overall in a time of 6:23.39, just .02 seconds off third-place finisher USC (6:23.37). No. 7 Michigan State won the race in a time of 6:19.05, while No. 5 Michigan was second (6:19.09). WOLVERINES CLAIM NINTH PLACE The University of Michigan rowing team posted a ninth-place finish among 16 teams at the NCAA Championships on Sunday (May 31) at Cooper River. U-M's No. 5-ranked first varsity eight was the runner-up in the petite final to place eighth overall. The second varsity eight and varsity four were fourth in their respective petite finals to finish 10th overall in their events. Michigan ended up with 48 points. Stanford won both the first varsity eight and team NCAA championships. The Cardinal collected 88 total points, while California and Yale each had 85 points; Cal earned the silver medal as a result of its first varsity eight finishing higher than Yale's, but Yale did win the second varsity eight national title. Clemson won the varsity four national title and placed 12th as a team. The first varsity eight petite final was too close to call as the teams settled in after the opening sprint. At 500 meters, Michigan was in second place to No. 16 Southern California by a seat. No. 7 Michigan State was just two seats back of U-M. No. 13 Washington and No. 14 Ohio State were half a length off the pace of the top three crews. U-M, MSU and USC had open water on the rest of the field at 1,000 meters. The Spartans had a 0.25 second edge on the Wolverines, who were up 0.18 on the Women of Troy. Leading into the 1,500-meter buoy, Michigan and Michigan State separated from USC but were still in a fierce struggle for top billing. At the 1,500-meter mark, the Maize and Blue had the lead on MSU by 0.20. Michigan increased its lead to roughly three seats entering the final 250 meters. Unfortunately, U-M's boat caught a slight crab in the sprint, which was just enough of an opportunity for MSU. Michigan recovered rapidly but lost out on the victory by a bow ball -- 6:19.05 to 6:19.09. The race for third place was even closer as USC beat Ohio State by 0.02. Washington and No. 12 Clemson were fifth and sixth, respectively. The Wolverine second varsity eight waited in back of the pack through the first 1,000 meters of its petite final. During that time, Michigan State dominated the race, maintaining open water on second-place USC and third-place Ohio State. Princeton was a length in front of U-M, while Clemson had just a few seats on the Maize and Blue. Michigan saved its push for the second half of the race, cruising past Clemson and then Princeton in the final 500 meters to capture fourth place in 6:49.18. MSU (6:37.83) won the race by open water, followed by Ohio State (6:42.85) and then USC (6:46.19). Michigan's varsity four began its petite final in fifth place through the opening 250 meters. Brown and Ohio State had the early lead, with Washington and Southern California closely following. At 500 meters, OSU had a seat lead on USC, followed by Brown and then Washington. Michigan was fifth, over a length behind UW. U-M had the fastest split between 500 and 1,000 meters to zoom past Washington and then USC to assume third place and stand just three quarters of a length off the leading OSU and Brown boats. The top four boats were in contact with each other heading into the final 500 meters. The Buckeyes (7:27.14) held off Brown (7:28.10) for first place, while the race for third was between the Wolverines and Huskies. Washington caught U-M in the last few strokes to take third in 7:30.68, a mere 32-hundredths of a second ahead of the Wolverines. USC and Harvard were fifth and sixth, respectively. WISCONSIN ROWERS TAKE 13TH The Wisconsin varsity four made school history at the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships on Sunday at the Cooper River. Rowing in the school's fourth NCAA grand final in any boat, the Badgers claimed second place to gain the highest NCAA finish for a Wisconsin crew. The Badgers started steady over the first 500 meters, but hit the mark in fifth place, exactly three seconds behind leader and eventual champion Clemson. The Badgers made their way through the field quickly and used the fastest second 500 of the field to jump up into second place and to begin closing the gap on the Tigers. The Badgers kept things going in the third 500, closing to just over two seconds back of Clemson. In the final 500, Wisconsin continued to close, getting within 1.76 seconds of the Tigers, but the early lead was too much to overcome. The Badgers finished in 7:28.54, while NCAA champion in the varsity four Clemson won in 7:26.28. Wisconsin's history making varsity four included junior coxswain Molly Evjen (Portland, Ore.), senior Brittany Rapp (Glenview, Ill.), Briana Pittman (Pittsburgh), Bronwyn Knaebe (Madison, Wis.) and sophomore Kirsten Morelli (Arlington Heights, Ill.). Finishing out the finals of the varsity four were third-place Yale (7:30.81), fourth-place California (7:32.01), fifth-place Stanford (7:32.29) and sixth-place Virginia (7:34.26). The UW second varsity eight had a solid Sunday, as well, winning the Third Level Final by nearly four seconds over Oregon State. The Badgers clocked 6:44.96 to take the four-team final. The Beavers were second in 6:48.79. Harvard (6:51.00) in third place, and Dartmouth (6:57.69) in fourth place, rounded out the race. Wisconsin's varsity eight also took part in a Third Level Final, but after holding third place through 1500 meters, the Badgers dropped to fourth place. Harvard took the event in 6:24.90, with the Badgers racing to a 6:31.90, exactly seven seconds back. Dartmouth (6:27.16) and Oregon State (6:28.27) finished second and third, respectively. As a team, the Badgers finished with 26 points and placed 13th out of the 16 schools at the championships. There are 87 crews in NCAA Division I women's rowing. Stanford, coached by former Wisconsin coxswain Yasmin Farooq, won the team title with help from a victory in the varsity eight. The Cardinal scored 88 points to edge second-place California (85 points) and third-place Yale (85 points). California earned second place with a higher finish in the varsity eight.

Iowa introduces new rowing staff

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:17:00 +0000

IOWA CITY, IA- The University of Iowa women's rowing team is welcoming five new members to its staff for the upcoming 2009 season. Head Coach Mandi Kowal made the announcement today. "I am excited about the strength of our new coaching staff, and the wide variety of experiences they will bring to the team,"" Kowal said. ""In addition, each individual has a proven work ethic that is second to none. All of the qualities, coupled with a strong desire to coach at Iowa and getting to the next level, will without a doubt keep the momentum going in the right direction." Scott Ramsey will serve as assistant coach in charge of novice squad and recruiting coordinator. He was most recently the assistant men's and women's heavyweight coach at Columbia University in New York, NY. While coaching at Columbia he designed and implemented strength training programs for both men's heavyweight and women's teams. He also coached men's heavyweight 2nd varsity eight throughout the 2009 spring season. His men won their first victory in 10 years at the Maxwell Stevenson Cup vs. Navy and their first ever progression in IRA Petite Final for a Columbia 2V. Ramsey was the head coach at The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, PA from 2005 - 2007. He led the transition of a scholastic girl's crew program from a scull/sweep small boats program to a national competitive sweeping program. He additionally coached varsity eight to its first Inter-Ac League Championship in the school's history in 2007. Before coaching at The Agnes Irwin School, he was assistant coach at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA. Ramsey received a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Societies degree from the University of Pennsylvania in May, 2004. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as an USRowing Level III certified coach. Nicole Lustig will be a volunteer assistant for the Hawkeyes. She most recently served as Gonzaga's women's rowing volunteer assistant coach from 2005 to 2008. She was a member of the Gonzaga University rowing team from 2000-2002. She earned team captain honors in 2002, and won the WCC &WIRA in 2002. Throughout her rowing career she was an NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee, US Rowing Honor Roll, Gonzaga's Bulldog Club Athlete of the Year and Gonzaga University Scholar Athlete of the Year. Lustig received a Bachelor of Education from Gonzaga University and was Special Educations Magna Cum Laude in 2008. After receiving her Bachelor's degree, she earned her Masters of Education from Gonzaga University in 2009, where she once again earned the Special Education Magna Cum Laude. Drew Cowens, who will serve as a volunteer assistant, previously served as the freshman coach and operations coordinator for men's rowing at UCLA. While at UCLA, he coordinated schedules and training plans, and maintained equipment. As an operations coordinator, Cowens created alumni mailings and followed up on all aspects of fundraising campaigns. From 2006 to 2007, Cowens was the varsity lightweight boys' coach at Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center. He received a Level II Coaching Certification at the US Rowing Conference in Portland, OR, in 2006. Cowens studied American Literature and Culture at UCLA from 2001-2005. He received his Bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature at the University of Washington in 2008 and is currently working towards a Masters in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership from the University of Washington. Emily Lewis was volunteer assistant coach for the varsity program at the University of Iowa from August 2008 to May 2009, and she will continue to assist in the upcoming season. She also acted as a recruited coxswain for 4 years at the University of Iowa. Lewis received the P. Sue Beckwith Scholarship and the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholar Athlete award in May 2007. She was also an NCAA Scholar Athlete from 2005 to 2007 and academic all-Big Ten from 2003 to 2007. Lewis earned her Bachelor's of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in International Studies with an emphasis in Human Rights and a minor in Political Science. Currently, she is working on receiving her Masters in International Studies with a focus in human trafficking and exploitation at the University of Iowa. Emily Wagstrom has helped assist with the women's rowing program at Iowa since 2005. She coached rowers on the varsity squad as a volunteer assistant coach from 2007 to 2008. From 2006 to 2007, she was the graduate assistant coach, where she coached rowers on the varsity and novice squads, assisted in recruitment of student-athletes on campus and completed various management tasks. She also coached rowers on the varsity and novice squads, coordinated recruitment of prospective student-athletes and assisted in all aspects of management and coaching as assistant coach/ recruiting coordinator. Wagstrom was named a National Scholar Athlete, awarded to student athletes who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and competed in the NCAA eligible boat, in 2005. She also earned a spot on the President's List, awarded for two consecutive semesters of a 4.0 GPA, at the Iowa. From 2003 to 2005, she was Academic all-Big Ten. Wagstrom received her Bachelor's of Science's in Exercise Science, with distinction from the University of Iowa in 2005 and is currently going for her Masters in Research Distinction Track at Iowa.

Four Big Ten teams off to NCAA Championships

Tue, 19 May 2009 18:30:00 +0000

The 16-team field for the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships was announced Tuesday afternoon and Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin all received bids. Read the schools' releases below: MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing team has received a bid to compete in the 2009 NCAA Championships, the NCAA announced on Tuesday afternoon (May 19). The Wolverines will be appearing in their ninth national championship event in the program's 13-year varsity history. This year's events will take place Friday through Sunday, May 29-31, on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. The NCAA Championships are divided up among Division I, Division II and Division III institutions. In Division I, 16 teams are awarded team bids, which include a first varsity eight, a second varsity eight and a first varsity four. The three boats from each school can win individual national titles while attempting to earn points toward the team title. This year's collection of teams includes Brown, California, Clemson, Dartmouth, Harvard, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Oregon State, Princeton, Southern California, Stanford, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Yale. Michigan is in the hunt for its first team national title. In 2001, the U-M second varsity eight won an individual boat national title when the Maize and Blue posted a program-best second-place overall finish. In 2004, the Wolverines earned third place as a team. In 2003, the first varsity eight notched a boat-best, silver-medal performance en route to a fourth-place team standing. Michigan's other national finishes include fifth place on three occasions (1998, 1999, 2000) and eighth place twice (2002, 2005). The Wolverines head into the NCAA Championships after winning the Central Region title on May 17 at the Central/South Region Sprints in Oak Ridge, Tenn. U-M's first varsity eight took second behind Virginia in the grand final, while the U-M second varsity eight and first varsity four placed fourth and fifth, respectively. At the Big Ten Championships on May 2, the Maize and Blue finished second as a team, as well as in the first varsity eight. Michigan is one of four Big Ten Conference squads (Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin) that will be attending the NCAA Championships. The Pac-10 Conference leads the way with five invitees (Stanford, California, Washington, Southern California, Oregon State). The NCAA Championships will be held May 29-31 on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J., with Villanova serving as host. For ticket information, call the Villanova Ticket Office at 610-519-4100 MICHIGAN STATE EAST LANSING, Mich. - The third-ranked Michigan State rowing program has earned a berth in the 16-team 2009 NCAA National Regatta, which will be held in Cherry Hill, N.J., from May 29-31, as announced by the NCAA Selection Committee Tuesday evening. Villanova will serve as the host institution of this year's championship. This year marks the 11th time in the last 12 seasons that the MSU rowing program will be represented at the national regatta and it will be the ninth time that the Spartans will have a full team at the championships. MSU tied its top finish at last year's regatta, finishing sixth overall. Both the varsity four and varsity eight boats also tied their best finishes at the event last season, placing fifth and sixth, respectively. "Obviously, we are very happy to be going to the National Regatta," head coach Matt Weise said. "It is always a very fast event and I am excited to get out there and test our team against some of the best teams in the nation." The bid is the Spartans' seventh full-team bid in the last eight seasons as the only year in which the team did not qualify for the National Regatta was in 2007, which is the only year that the Spartans did not qualify since becoming a varsity sport in 1998. MSU has now received nine team bids and received at-large berths for their varsity eight boat in both 1998 and 2001. The team championships are comprised of 16 teams and each team is required to field two boats of eight rowers and one boat of four rowers. 2009 marks the first year that the field will feature 16 teams, rather than the 12 teams with four at-large varsity eight boats as in previous years. Joining the Spartans amongst the field of 16 will be three other Big Ten schools - Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin - along with Brown, California, Clemson, Dartmouth, Harvard, Oregon State, Princeton, Southern California, Stanford, Virginia, Washington and Yale. The Spartans put together a fine season in 2009, earning them the berth at the National Regatta. After spending the majority of the season ranked in the nation's top five in the CRCA Coaches Poll, the Spartans earned their highest ranking - third - after winning their second-straight Big Ten title on May 2. The Spartans' varsity eight and second varsity eight each claimed Big Ten titles while Weise and senior Sarah Schmidt (Grosse Ile, Mich.) took home Big Ten Coach of the Year and Big Ten Athlete of the Year, respectively. Several other Spartans earned Big Ten honors as well, highlighted by Lauren Gamble (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Amanda Dunnill (Flushing, Mich.), who were named First Team All-Big Ten. Seniors Ashley Peach (St. John's, Newfoundland) and Nancy Diehl (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) were also honored as Second Team All-Big Ten Selections. MSU is coming off of a third-place overall finish - and second-place nod in the Central Region - at the Aramark South/Central Sprints last weekend. OHIO STATE COLUMBUS, Ohio – For the 10th-consecutive year, the Ohio State rowing team earned a bid to the NCAA championships, the NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Committee announced Tuesday. The 2009 NCAA Championships are May 29-31 at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, N.J. Villanova will serve as the event's host. A web cast of all the races at the NCAA championships will be available at ncaa.com. Unlike in past years when 12 teams, plus four at-large First Varsity Eights qualified for the national championships, in 2009 16 teams qualified and there were no at-large selections. Also new to the 2009 selection process was the announcement of the First and Second Varsity Eights and First Varsity Four heat assignments for the first day of races. The 1V8 will compete in the first of three heats at 8:45 a.m. Friday May 29. The 2V8 will get on the water at 9:30 a.m. in the opening heat and the 1V4 will race in the second heat at 10:30 a.m. Overall, this is the Buckeyes' 11th appearance in the NCAA championships. Before making 10-consecutive team appearances beginning in 2000, the Scarlet and Gray First Varsity Four competed on the national stage in 1997, just the team's second year as a varsity program. In the 14-year history of Ohio State rowing, the Buckeyes own a program-best third-place finish as a team at the NCAA championships, accomplished in 2007 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The 1V8 finished a boat-best second that same year. A season ago in Rancho Cordova, Calif., the 2V8 was second for its all-time best national finish. The 1V4 was a third-place finisher in 2006 in West Windsor, N.J. Three other Big Ten Conference programs will join the Buckeyes at nationals – Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Fans can purchase a three-day all session pass for $25. Students, with a valid ID and children 3 years old and older, as well as those 65 years old and older can buy a three-day all-session pass for $10. An adult individual ticket is $10 and a student, senior, child individual ticket is $5. Children under 3 are admitted free. WISCONSIN MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin women's openweight rowing program earned its fifth bid to the NCAA rowing championships in six years when the 16-team field for the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships were announced on Tuesday. This year's event takes place May 29-31 on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. "It has been our goal all year, not only to make it but to be really competitive there," said head coach Bebe Bryans. "You can't be competitive unless you are there, so first task – check. This was really a great kick in the pants and hopefully they will go and just keep getting better and better." Wisconsin enters the championships after placing fifth at the 2009 NCAA Central/South Regional last weekend in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Badgers also placed fourth at the 2009 Big Ten Championships on May 2 in Columbus, Ohio. Wisconsin hopes to improve on last year's NCAA performance when the squad placed 10th in Gold River, Calif. UW's second varsity eight led the way with a seventh-place finish after winning the petite final. In 2006, the Badgers placed eighth as a team, the school's highest finish to date. At that same 2006 championships, the UW second varsity eight took third, the highest finish for a Wisconsin boat in the five years Wisconsin has reached the championships. This year's bid marks the fourth for the Badgers in five years under head coach Bebe Bryans. Prior to Bryans' arrival, the Badgers had been to just two NCAA championships in the first eight years of the event. The Badgers first reached the championships in 1999 under head coach Mary Browning two years after the NCAA began sponsoring the sport. The program then qualified in 2004 under interim head coach Sue Ela. Bids in 2005, 2006, 2008 and now 2009 all came under Bryans. "I think we are the fastest we've been since I've been here and we are extremely competitive," Bryans added. "Everybody is getting faster and it is really exciting to be a part of it. I think we are up there with everybody. It is a real fast year. It is going to be really exciting. Our ultimate goal is to get to the finals, because if you get to the finals, then anything can happen." Wisconsin will be joined at the 2009 NCAA championships by three other Big Ten schools, including Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State. Completing this year's 16-team field is defending NCAA champion Brown, California, Clemson, Dartmouth, Harvard, Oregon State, Princeton, Southern California, Stanford, Virginia, Washington and Yale. The heats for the 2009 championships were announced with the field this year for the first time, and in seed order. In the varsity eight, Wisconsin will race in heat two against California, Michigan State, Oregon State and Brown. Wisconsin's second varsity eight will race in heat three against Michigan State, Brown, Michigan, Clemson and Dartmouth. Finally, Wisconsin's varsity eight races in heat two against Southern California, Ohio State, Clemson and Oregon State. "The beauty of this race is that everybody is good," said Bryans. "Last weekend, South/Centrals was a really competitive regatta, but of the 22 schools that were in our event, there were probably 13 or 14 that were super competitive. Here, everybody is good. The heats are fair. The heats are tough and we are excited."

Wolverines claim Central Region title

Sun, 17 May 2009 14:19:00 +0000

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. -- The University of Michigan women's rowing team won the Central Region title on Sunday (May 17) at the Central/South Region Sprints on Melton Hill Lake. The Wolverines accumulated 348 points, 171 of which were delivered when the No. 6-ranked first varsity eight earned a silver medal. U-M beat out Ohio State (328) points for the Central Region crown. Virginia (387 points) won the overall and South Region titles. The Wolverines will learn their NCAA Championships fate on Tuesday (May 19) when the NCAA announces the field at 5 p.m. on www.ncaa.com. Michigan is seeking its first team bid since 2005 -- the first varsity eight received an at-large bid in 2008. The 2009 NCAA Championships will take place in Cherry Hill, N.J., from May 29-31. Twelve teams from across the country will receive team bids (first varsity eight, second varsity eight, first varsity four). Additionally, four schools will get at-large bids for the first varsity eight only. The first varsity eight grand final was won by No. 11 Virginia, which posted a time of 6:03.2. The Wolverines finished three-quarters of a boat length back with a time of 6:05.8 to take second. No. 3 Michigan State, which won the Big Ten title two weeks ago, trailed the Maize and Blue by nearly two seconds to take the bronze. Wisconsin, Clemson and Ohio State finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. Michigan's second varsity eight garnered fourth place in its grand final. Virginia won in 6:13.0, followed closely by MSU (6:13.40) and Ohio State (6:15.80). There was open water between the top three crews and the Wolverines (6:19.20), who edged out Wisconsin by nine tenths of a second. Clemson was sixth. The Michigan first varsity four placed fifth, 10.8 seconds off the gold-medal pace of Ohio State (6:58.0). Virginia, Minnesota and Clemson finished second, third and fourth, respectively. Notre Dame finished in sixth behind Michigan. U-M's novice eight shell took fourth place. UVA (6:27.60) won by a bowball over Wisconsin (6:27.63) and Central Florida earned bronze (6:31.2). U-M's time of 6:34.7 bested Duke and Oklahoma. The open four crew reached the medal stand with a third-place effort. The Wolverines missed out on silver by just 0.4 seconds and gold by 1.9 seconds. OSU won in 6:59.70. Clemson crossed the line in 7:01.20 and Michigan in 7:01.60.

Iowa takes home 5th at Central Region

Sun, 17 May 2009 20:32:00 +0000

OAK RIDGE, TN – The University of Iowa rowing team competed in their respective finals of all five events in Sunday's Aramark Central/South Regionals. The Hawkeyes placed seventh out of 22 teams in the overall team standings and fifth out of 13 teams in the Central Region standings with 241 points. Iowa scored more points than they have in the last five years, and improved their final ranking from last year by four positions. Virginia placed first overall with 387 points while Michigan won the Central Region with 348 points. Iowa's best finish came from the 1V8+ boat who won the petite final in a time of 6:11.7, recording 126 team points for the Hawkeyes. "I thought the varsity eights rowed solid and put together a very good race," said Head Coach Mandi Kowal. "They took control of the race around 750 meters in, and maintained a solid lead to the end after challenges from Louisville and Minnesota." Kowal also commented on the second varsity eight's solid performance, which scored 78 team points with a second place finish in the petite finals. They finished the final in a time of 6:28.4, only 1.3 seconds behind Notre Dame's winning boat. "It was a very good race, their best of the season. At one point, they were a boat length down to Notre Dame and made a strong move at the end, but came up short,"" said Kowal. ""Still, we were pleased with how they rowed and the race they put together as a crew." Iowa's varsity four boat also put a strong performance together and placed fourth in the 1V4+ petite final in a time of 7:22.8. Iowa's open 4+ boats finished fifth in their respective finals. Iowa's open 4+ A boat finished the petite final in a time of 7:17.5 while the open 4+ B boat finished the C final in a time of 7:20.73. Kowal was also happy with her team's focused mentality throughout the weekend. "I was proud of how they approached the weekend, taking one step at a time," added Kowal. "This was a very strong and fast field, and I thought the team handled the weekend well. We are not exactly where we would like to be, but are moving in the right direction. The momentum is contagious and exciting." Selections will be announced May 19, for the participants of the 2009 NCAA Rowing Championships.

UW wins varisty lightweight for 5th straight time

Sun, 17 May 2009 19:27:00 +0000

The top-ranked Wisconsin women's rowing team lived up to its advance billing, winning the varsity lightweight eight for the fifth consecutive time, and capturing the second varsity lightweight eight race at the 2009 Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges Conference Championships on Sunday on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J. The results gave the Badgers the Konrad Ulbrich Trophy as lightweight team champion for the third consecutive time. The trophy is in just its third year of existence. In the varsity lightweight eight, the Badgers continued their unbeaten season by timing 6:47.631 over 2000 meters. Fourth-ranked Princeton finished nearly seven seconds back in 6:54.305 to claim second place. No. 5 Georgetown, No. 2 Radcliffe and No. 7 MIT rounded out the results, respectively. Rowing in the championship-winning crew were coxswain Heidi Hunsberger, as well as Dani Dewitt, Adrienne Winfield, Margot Schoellkopf, Kaela Erickson, Katie Fink, Grace Lautman, Mia Cava and Lane Benes. The second varsity lightweight eight dominated in its race, winning by over 19 seconds. UW clocked a 7:00.193 to Radcliffe's 7:19.369 to claim victory. In fact, the Badgers' time in the second varsity lightweight eight would have been about a boat length behind No. 2 Radcliffe's time in the varsity lightweight eight and ahead of No. 7 MIT. Shelley Miller coxed the winning second varsity lightweight eight, with Kelley Kowitz, Gabby Waclawik, Breanne Lynch, Sarah Padway, Taylor Fries, Katelin Ludwig, Johanna Brady and Amanda Montgomery making up the crew. Two Badger boats entered the varsity lightweight four, with Wisconsin placing second and fourth behind winner Princeton and third-place Georgetown. The Badgers now look ahead to the 2009 Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships, June 4-6 in Gold River, Calif. Wisconsin will look for its second consecutive varsity lightweight eight national title and the program's fifth title in six years.

Minnesota places sixth at Cenrtal Region

Sun, 17 May 2009 17:46:00 +0000

The University of Minnesota completed the first of the two-day Aramark South/Central Region Sprints in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Golden Gophers finished sixth in the Central Region with three boats competing in finals today on Melton Hill Lake. All seven Big Ten teams finished among the top eight in the Central Region. Minnesota's Varsity Four of coxswain Monika Folker, Emily Johnson, Teresa Logemann, Tracy Merth and Kate Ladell finished third in the Grand Final. Ohio State won the race in a time of 6:58.0, while Virginia was second, finishing in 6:59.3. The Gophers rounded out the top three, completing the race in a time of 7:00.6. Minnesota was faster than Clemson, Michigan and Notre Dame. The Second Varsity Eight of coxswain Ilana Ostrin, Michele Peterson, Emily Baxter, Allison Fisher, Erin Desmond, Krystal Arbery, Tina Cho, Sarah Krueger and Molly Kalmoe at bow finished third in the Petite Final with a time of 6:31.6. Notre Dame was the winner (6:27.1) and Iowa was second (6:28.4). Tennessee was fourth, Texas finished fifth and Louisville was sixth. The Gophers' First Varsity Eight of coxswain Erica Niemiec, Lisa Pugh at stroke, Katherine Johnson, ashlee Vilmo, Stephanie Bakkum, Lucy Mulvey, Jenna Schuder, Sarah Graham and Cassie Drozynski at bow finished third in today's Petite Final. Iowa finished first in 6:11.7, Louisville was the runner up with a time of 6:13.7, while the Gophers clocked a time of 6:16.1. Rounding out the remaining competitors were UCF in fourth, Notre Dame in fifth and Kansas State in sixth.

Big Ten champ MSU takes 4th at regional

Sun, 17 May 2009 14:21:00 +0000

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - The third-ranked Michigan State rowing team earned fourth place in the Central Region, and fifth overall with 320 points, at the Aramark South/Central Sprints, hosted by the University of Tennessee on Melton Hill Lake on Sunday (May 17). The Spartans' best finisher at the event was the second varsity eight, which finished second overall after clocking in at 6:13.40, just 0.40 seconds behind first-place Virginia. Virginia finished first overall with 387 points while Michigan won the Central Region with 348 points and placed second. "I thought that we had a mediocre performance after a mediocre two weeks of practice, and we really didn't see the progress that we needed to see heading into the weekend." head coach Matt Weise said. "I still think that we will still get a bid to nationals, but we will have to put together a better race plan in the next two weeks." This season marks the ninth time that the Spartans have finished fifth or better at the South/Central Sprints since 1998. The Spartans' day began in the Petite Final of the second varsity four, where the crew clocked in at 7:11.40, earning fourth in the final and 10th overall. The 10th-place finish earned MSU eight total team points. Up next was the novice eight Petite Final and the Spartans saw similar results. The crew finished the 2000-meter course in 6:38.00, also placing fourth in its final and 10th overall, earning no points in the team competition. The varsity four turned in the best performance of the three Spartan crews in Petite Finals as it placed second in its heat and eighth overall. The varsity four crossed the finish line in 7:01.60, earning 36 total points for the team. Moving to the Grand Finals, the second varsity eight was in the most highly-contested race during the Grand Finals. Despite clocking in at 6:13.40, a time that was better than six varsity eight crews on the day, the second varsity eight finished just 0.40 seconds behind Virginia, who claimed top honors in the event. The second-place nod earned MSU 114 points in the team competition. The varsity eight, which had been undefeated coming into the Sprints, placed third in its Grand Final after posting a time of 6:07.70, trailing both Virginia and Michigan, who placed first and second, respectively. MSU will await the announcement of NCAA National Regatta bids on Tuesday, May 19 at 5 p.m. If given a berth, the Spartans will have qualified for the National Regatta in 11 of the last 12 seasons. For all the latest on Spartan rowing, check back with www.msuspartans.com.

Ohio St. takes second at Central Regional

Sun, 17 May 2009 14:17:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Behind Grand Final wins from the First and Second Varsity Fours, the Ohio State rowing team earned a second-place finish in the Central Region at the 2009 South/Central Region Championships Sunday at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Michigan won the Central Region, while Virginia won the South Region and was crowned overall Aramark Cup champions. The Buckeyes finished the weekend with 328 points behind the Wolverines' 348. Wisconsin rounded out the Top 3 in the Central Region with 321 points. The Second Varsity Four, also known as the Open Four, secured 14 team points with its championship performance. The 2V4 of Mandy Merritt, Sara Reardon, Jill Mohr, Cleonice Renzetti and coxswain Mackenzie Pecor obtained the boat's first central region title since 2006. In all, the Second Varsity Four has won five Grand Finals. In a tight race, the Buckeye crew (6:59.7) edged the Clemson ""B"" team (7:01.2) by 1.5 seconds for the title. In third place was Michigan (7:01.6), which was clipped by the Tigers by just four-tenths of a second. Up next for Ohio State was the First Novice Eight in the Petite Final. The crew finished ninth overall and third in the race in a time of 6:37.6 for 14 points. Clemson won the heat with a time of 6:33.9, while the Virginia ""B"" squad was second (6:35.7). Due up was the First Varsity Four, which added 57 points to the Buckeye team total. The Ohio State boat of Anniken Ellingsen, Ellen Heister, Claudia Schiwy, Farrah Edwards and coxswain Kristin DiJosie needed 1.3 seconds to claim the crew's second championship in program history (6:58). The 1V4 won its first Central Region crown in 2003. Virginia was second in the heat, crossing the finish line in 6:59.3. Minnesota was third with a time of 7:00.6. The Second Varsity Eight contributed 108 points with a third-place finish in the Grand Final. The Buckeyes – Lindsey Titus, Katie Flarida, Claudia Wurzel, Tess Prescott, Erin Shropshire, Caroline McPherson, Ingrid Aasaaren, Sara Wallace and coxswain Samantha Getz – clocked in at 6:15.8. Virginia claimed the heat with a time of 6:13 and Michigan State was second, finishing in 6:13.4. The Second Varsity Eight Grand Final race concluded the 2009 edition of the Aramark championships and the eighth-ranked crew of Claudia Herpertz, Ulrike Denker, Johnna Burns, Zuza Trzcinska, Peta-Leigh Dakyns, Carolin Helmholz, Susi Herbrand, Charlott Goldstein and coxswain Erika Benford finished sixth (6:12.6) for 135 points. The Buckeyes had their hands full Sunday as they faced three Top 10 boats – No. 3 Michigan State, No. 6 Michigan and No. 10 Clemson – in their championship quest. Ohio State hopes it will be one of 12 teams selected to compete in the 2009 NCAA Championships May 29-31 in Camden, N.J. The NCAA selection show will air at 5 p.m. Tuesday on ncaa.com. The Buckeyes have competed in the NCAA championships as a team for nine consecutive seasons. Only four other programs – Brown, California, Princeton and Washington – can boast such an achievement.

MSU rowing wins second straight Big Ten title

Sun, 3 May 2009 12:20:00 +0000

Final Standings 1. Michigan State 137 2. Michigan 126 3. Ohio State 123 4. Wisconsin 113 5. Iowa 60 6. Minnesota 59 7. Indiana 24 COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 3 Michigan State rowing program claimed its second straight Big Ten title, and third in five seasons, after finishing with 137 points Saturday on Griggs Reservoir at the 2009 Big Ten Championships. The Spartans won both the varsity eight and second varsity eight races to complete the day, which accounted for 105 total team points, helping them edge second-place Michigan, who finished with 126 points. The Spartans become only the second team in Big Ten Championship history to win back-to-back team titles. The win by the varsity eight also marks the second-straight Big Ten title for that crew as well. The second varsity four and second varsity eight also earned medals on the day, each taking home the bronze in their events. "Clearly I am very proud of our team," head coach Matt Weise said. "We had not been in a whole lot of close races this season, and after losing the varsity eight heat this morning, I think that our focus got much better. It was a sort of a wake up call and they realized that they cannot race that way, so they came out in the final and both varsity eight boats I thought had their best races when we needed it. I am just really proud of our team." In addition, five Spartans were honored as All-Big Ten Team members. Three rowers, two the varsity eight boat - Sarah Schmidt (Grosse Ile, Mich.) and Lauren Gamble (Commerce Township, Mich.) - along with Amanda Dunnill (Flushing, Mich.) from the second varsity eight, were named to the first team. Both Ashley Peach (St. John's, Newfoundland) and Nancy Diehl (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) earned second team honors while senior Ashley Wenneman (Grosse Ile, Mich.) was honored as the Spartans' recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award to round out the individual accolades. The Spartans opened the day by advancing five of their six boats to the Grand Finals in the afternoon session. Both the second varsity eight and the second varsity four won their respective heats while advancing to the Grand Finals. The second varsity four was in the most highly contested heat of the morning, edging Ohio State's crew by a photo-finish, just 0.01 seconds ahead of the Buckeyes. The top-seeded second varsity eight won its heat much more convincingly, topping second-place Michigan by three seconds with a time of 6:18.46. Also advancing to the Grand Finals were the Spartans' top-seeded varsity eight and both of the novice eight boats. Both Michigan and Wisconsin advanced all six of their boats to the Grand Final, setting up a close competition for the afternoon session. The novice boats began the competition in the afternoon session. The Spartans' second novice eight, racing in the third lane against crews from Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana, finished the 2,000-meter trek in 6:47.92, placing them third and earning five points for the team. Wisconsin won the heat, giving the Badgers the early lead in the competition. The MSU novice eight placed fourth in its Grand Final, earning eight points for the team, pushing the team-total to 13 points through the novice races. Wisconsin led the event through the novice races, accumulating 21 overall points; Michigan was in second through the first two races with 18 points. Next up for the Spartans was the Grand Final of the second varsity four race. The crew, seeded fourth heading into the competition, turned in the best time in the event during the morning session and finished third in the Grand Final with a time of 7:07.13, moving the team's point total to 23, keeping them in third place. The crew was the Spartans' second medal-winner on the day, taking home the bronze medal in the second varsity four. The varsity four, the only Spartan boat to not qualify for the Grand Final, placed first in its Petite Final with a time of 7:08.08. The top finish in the Petite Final earned the crew fifth place overall, moving MSU's point total to 32, placing them fourth heading into the final two races of the day, the second varsity eight and the varsity eight. The Spartans entered the day as the top seed in the second varsity eight and after dominating the morning race, the crew followed suit in the Grand Final. The second varsity eight clocked in at 6:15.07 to win the race, scoring 42 points and moving the team into third place. After the second varsity eight Grand Final, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin all ranked within six points of each other, forcing a winner-take-all scenario in the varsity eight Grand Final. The second varsity eight took first place for the second time in program history and first time since 2003, which was also the last time that the Big Ten Championships were hosted in Columbus at Griggs Reservoir. The varsity eight, needing to win to clinch the team title, dominated its Grand Final en-route to a first-place finish. The crew clocked in at 6:06.30, topping second-place Michigan by open water. It is the second-straight season that MSU has claimed the varsity eight title and marks the third time in program history that the varsity eight has taken home the gold. The Spartans will continue the postseason with the NCAA South/Central Sprints in Oak Ridge, Tenn., two weeks from today on May 16.

Gophers take 6th at Big Ten championships

Brian Deutsch — Tue, 5 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Minnesota rowing team finished sixth at the Big Ten championships in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday after advancing just one boat to the Grand Finals. The Gophers First Varsity Four boat placed third in its Grand Final - just four seconds behind first-place Ohio State, as the team racked up 15 of its 59 total points. Michigan State earned its second Big Ten Championship in a row after totaling 137 points and tallying wins in both the First Varsity Eights and Second Varsity Eights. "We had not been in a whole lot of close races this season, and after losing the varsity eight heat this morning, I think that our focus got much better," Spartans coach Mark Weise said. "It was sort of a wake-up call, and they realized that they cannot race that way, so they came out in the final, and both varsity eight boats I thought had their best races when we needed it." Minnesota's most successful races came late in the day after its boats failed to qualify for Grand Final races. The Gophers won the First Novice Eights with a time of 6:36.95 - less than two seconds ahead of Iowa - in the Petite Final. With a time of 7:06.99, the Second Varsity Four boat also claimed a first-place finish in a head-to-head Petite Final matchup with the Hawkeyes. But the finishes weren't enough to compete with Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State, all of which advanced multiple teams to Grand Final races. "Obviously, we wanted to finish higher than sixth, but the Big Ten Conference is one of the strongest in the nation this year," Minnesota coach Wendy Davis said in a statement. "With six Big Ten teams ranked nationally, we knew that we would face tough competition today." Minnesota's 20th-ranked First Varsity Eight boat failed to make the Grand Final after placing third in its morning heat behind No. 4 Michigan and No. 3 Michigan State. The Spartans, who advanced boats to the Grand Final in all but one race, picked up the 1V8 Grand Final win with a time of 6:06.30. Meanwhile, the Gophers 1V8 boat crossed the finish line in 6:19.73 to finish second behind Iowa in the Petite Final. Two members of Minnesota's 1V8 boat were honored with individual conference awards. Senior Lisa Pugh earned first-team All-Big Ten honors while senior Ashlee Vilmo was named to the conference's second team. Minnesota will now prepare for the Aramark South/Central Sprints on May 16 to 17 in Tennessee, where the Gophers will compete for lanes at the NCAA Championships at the end of the month. "Big Tens was a great stepping stone to where we need to be in two weeks to get ready for the South/Central Sprints," Davis said. "We'll use this next week and get ready for regional competition, and we hope to come out a much stronger team in two weeks." (C) 2008 Minnesota Daily via UWIRE Copyright 2009 Minnesota Daily via U-Wire

Hawkeyes hang with nation's best

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:26:00 +0000

BELLEVILLE, MI – The University of Iowa women's rowing team continued its spring season Saturday on Belleville Lake in Bellville, MI. The Hawkeyes took on the University of Michigan and Louisville Saturday morning and concluded the day with a dual against Michigan State Saturday afternoon. As of last week, Michigan and Michigan State were ranked fourth and fifth in the country, respectively, while Louisville was ranked 20th. The Hawkeyes put together six solid races during the morning's competition, beating Louisville in every race and coming within seconds of Michigan in all races as well. The 2N8+ boat finished 11.74 second behind Michigan in the first race with a time of 7:46.79. The 1N8+ boat then finished in a time of 7:16.59 to knock off Louisville by over a minute, but fall to Michigan by just 8.8 seconds. Iowa's closest race came when the 2V4+ boat ran its race in 7:58.49, just 2.4 seconds behind Michigan's A boat. Iowa's boats 1V4+ (8:11.75) and 2V8+ (6:59.09) then finished just behind Michigan in their respective races, but beat Louisville in both. Additionally, Iowa's 1V8+ boat fell 3.32 seconds behind Michigan in a time of 6:37.90, but beat #20 Louisville once again. Iowa had just as much success in the afternoon dual against #5 ranked Michigan State, coming within at least eight seconds of Michigan State in four of six races and winning one. They Hawkeye's 2N8+ boat began the afternoon with a time of 7:35.50, just 6.71 seconds behind Michigan State. The 1N8+ boat then fell just 4.07 seconds short of Michigan State in a time of 7:06.74. Iowa then picked up its first win of the weekend with the 2V4+ boat of sophomores Emily Melvold, Allison Robinson, Heidie Miller, Darcy DeLong and Meghan Clancy. The boat overtook Michigan State's boats A and B in a time of 7:55.71. The Hawkeye's 1V4+ boat dropped a race to Michigan State in a time of 7:54.07 before the 2V8+ boat (6:53.28) fell just 7.87 seconds behind. Iowa's final race of the weekend was finished in a time of 6:49.07 by the 1V8+ boat, just 5.62 seconds shy of Michigan State again. The Hawkeyes will travel to Columbus, OH, to compete in the 2009 Big Ten Championships May 2.

Buckeyes excel Saturday against Bucknell and Oregon State

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:01:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State rowing team finished up action Saturday at Griggs Reservoir in Columbus, where they took on Bucknell and Oregon State. All the Ohio State Varsity crews took first in their respective races. Conditions for racing today were ideal in the morning session, with calm water and a slight breeze, while the afternoon session offered a stiffer breeze and slightly more chop. The teams return to Griggs Reservoir Sunday morning to conclude regular-season action, with Ohio State taking on Washington State. FIRST VARSITY EIGHT The last race of the morning produced the closest race of the session, with the two-time Big Ten Boat of the Week, the Ohio State First Varsity Eight, taking on Oregon State. The eighth-ranked Buckeyes were hot out of the start, putting open water between the two boats at the 750 meter mark. Oregon State made a strong charge in the third 500 meters, closing the gap to just a boat length and setting up a dramatic push to the finish line. The Beavers made a strong push, but fell just short as Ohio State cruised across the line at 6:42.62, just a second and a half faster than Oregon State, which came across at 6:44.11. The Buckeye First Varsity Eight took home their second victory on the day against Bucknell in the afternoon session, pushing out to a boat length lead at 500 meters. With the wind picking up as the teams entered the midway point, the Buckeyes put open water between themselves and the Bison boat. As the crews entered the home stretch it was Ohio State out front by nearly a two boat lengths. The Buckeyes crossed the line at 6:42.30, while Bucknell trailed behind at 6:57.32. SECOND VARSITY EIGHT The Ohio State Second Varsity Eight shot out to an early lead, holding a boat length lead at the 250 meter mark over Oregon State. The Beavers stayed close throughout, but could never quite close the gap the Buckeyes opened up. The 1000 meter mark had Ohio State with an open water lead, on their way to a finishing time of 6:49.10. The Oregon State boat came in just behind with a mark of 6:55.89. The Buckeye Second Varsity Eight kept it going in the afternoon session against Bucknell. After a quick start that saw the Buckeyes claim an open water lead at 750 meters, Ohio State continued to push the pace and had a 10 second lead at the midway point. By the 1250 meter mark the lead was even larger, with Ohio State holding a lead of two boat lengths of open water. The Buckeyes finished at 6:47.11 while Bucknell came over the line at 7:10.49. FIRST VARSITY FOUR Two Buckeye boats went out in the First Varsity Four along with the Oregon State Four. The Ohio State ""A"" boat claimed an open water lead over the Oregon State boat at the 750 meter mark, a lead they would shrink to only a few seats by the 1500 meter mark. The Ohio State ""B"" boat kept pace early, but fell off late as the Beavers surged toward the finish line. The Ohio State ""A"" boat responded to the Oregon State challenge, coming over in first place at 7:38.55, while the Beavers were second at 7:40.12 and Ohio State ""B"" was third at 7:53.64. The Buckeyes were also the victors in the afternoon session against Bucknell, with the Ohio State ""A"" boat shooting out to a quick open water advantage at the 500 meter mark, while the Buckeye ""B"" boat trailed the Bison by several seats. The Scarlet and Gray ""A"" team pressed the advantage, moving out to a two boat length lead by the 1400 meter mark. Ohio State ""A"" cruised from there, taking a winning time of 7:48.50, with Bucknell second at 8:00.11 and Ohio State ""B"" third at 8:11.09. FIRST NOVICE EIGHT It was another early lead for a Buckeye boat in the First Novice Eight, one that was slowly whittled down by a hard-charging Oregon State boat. The Buckeyes' one boat length lead at the 750 meter mark became a virtual dead heat by the 1250 mark. This time, Oregon State was too much and captured the come-from-behind win with a mark of 7:01.20 to Ohio State's time of 7:08.77. The afternoon race for the First Novice Eight was the tightest of the day, with just .13 separating the first place boat of Bucknell and the Buckeyes' second place boat. The Bison held a four seat advantage at the 1000 meter mark, but Ohio State did not relent, picking up a slight lead with just 250 meters left. It was a photo finish, with the Bucknell boat surging past the Buckeye boat by the slimmest of margins with a 7:06.26 time. Ohio State finished at 7:06.39. SECOND NOVICE EIGHT The earliest race of the day for Ohio State came in the Second Novice Eight, pitted against Michigan State. After an even run by each boat through 1000 meters, the Spartans pushed hard and moved the lead out to a boat length at the 1500 meter mark. Michigan State won with a time of 7:14.08, clipping the Buckeyes' time of 7:30.89. The afternoon race saw the Buckeye boat take on Bucknell as winds and wake began having an effect on the boats. The Bison had a small advantage as they crossed the midway point, an advantage they pressed as the race neared the home stretch. They really turned it on at the 1500 mark, distancing themselves and coming across at 7:34.60 to the Buckeye boat that came over at 7:46.29.

Badgers take third at Crew Classic

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 09:06:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin women's rowing team rowed to a third-place finish in both final races at the San Diego Crew Classic this Sunday afternoon. The varsity eight took third in the Jessop-Whittier Cup to claim its best finish at the Crew Classic since the team took second in 1996. The No. 15 Badgers finished behind No. 6 Michigan and No. 4 Washington in 6:47.24. "We raced really well today," head coach Bebe Bryans stated after the race. "It was a big step up and we were pretty satisfied with the way we accomplished what we had set up to do, so it's a definite step in the right direction." The second varsity eight boat also placed third behind Washington and Michigan in the race for the Jackie Ann Stitt Hungness Trophy. UW finished in 7:04.71 to claim third. "We look forward to getting back home and training a little bit more and getting on with racing," Bryans concluded. "We're ready to get back into our routine, get work done and get back to racing." Wisconsin will battle Big Ten rivals No. 6 Michigan and No. 5 Michigan State next weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Hawkeyes take Big Step at Crew Classic

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 16:45:00 +0000

SAN DIEGO, CA – The University of Iowa rowing team took the varsity 8 and 2nd varsity 8 teams to San Diego, CA, Saturday and Sunday to compete in the 2009 San Diego Crew Classic. The Classic, held at Crown Point Shores on Mission Bay, is one of the premiere rowing events in the nation and hosts top teams from coast to coast. In Saturday's first prelim, the top three teams advanced and Iowa's varsity 8 missed qualifying by just 2.7 seconds with a time of 6:45.01. Iowa's second varsity 8 then placed third with one of its best races of the season, after beating UCLA in a time of 7:11.17, but needed second place to advance. Iowa's second varsity 8 began Sunday's races with a second place finish (eighth overall), just edging out UCLA again by .33 seconds in a time of 7:06.43. The varsity 8 also put a strong race together and finished in second place in the petite finals (eighth overall), with a time of 6:53.77, just 1.57 seconds behind 13th-ranked UCLA. "Overall, I was pleased with our performance out west, and the good news is that we still can improve on a lot in the coming weeks," said Iowa Head Coach Mandi Kowal. "I was pleased to see how closely we raced against many of the ranked schools. Now it's time to begin chipping away at our times for the next weekend of races." Additionally, Iowa took two novice boats and two varsity boats to Madison, WI on Saturday to scrimmage the Badgers. Iowa Novice Coach Chuck Rodosky was happy with the opportunity and experience. "Saturday was a great day for rowing," Rodosky said. "The water was flat and we really appreciate Wisconsin hosting the event. The experience we gained was invaluable and will help us this coming weekend in Michigan." The Hawkeyes will travel to Ann Arbor, MI, to compete against Michigan and Michigan State on April 11.

Two rowers are now rivals once again

Jason Deegan — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The Livingston Community News Considering their resumes, it's no surprise that Hartland High School graduate Casey Timmons and Howell graduate Victoria Woodard are successful college athletes. The surprise lies in the sport they're thriving in - rowing. Timmons earned All-State honors as a shortstop in softball and played basketball for the Eagles, graduating in 2005. Woodard helped the Highlander basketball team win two district titles and ran track as well. Once rivals, always rivals ... Timmons attends the University of Michigan and Woodard attends Michigan State University. They're both in training for the Big Ten and regional championships next May. It's rare that athletes from Livingston County schools - which don't offer women's crew - end up surviving in this highly competitive college sport, but their paths are eerily similar. They stumbled upon the sport at freshman orientations. And they've both fallen for its unique challenges. Woodard and Timmons have developed from just another faces in freshmen classes of up to 100 walk-ons, trying out for the novice team, where they learned the sport on the fly, to valuable contributors on the varsity squad. Timmons admits she never even dreamed of earning a Division I varsity letter until making the varsity team midway through her freshman year. "This year, I'll compete for my fourth varsity letter. That's amazing," said Timmons, a senior. "Sticking with it and going to every practice, it has been a huge accomplishment." Timmons a Wolverine When Timmons called her dad, Thom Timmons, to tell him she was on the U-M crew team, her father thought little of it. "She told me she and her sister, Meghan, were on an inner-tube water polo team. I thought it was the same level as rowing. I thought it was a recreational sport," he said. Timmons has bounced back and forth from the varsity four and the second varsity eight boats during her career. U-M coach Mark Rothstein called Timmons "a leader" but said it's too early to tell where she will fit in this season. A short fall season with a handful of events is used for training for the all-important spring season. "She's strong, and that's important," Rothstein said. "We are working on correcting some of the technical issues (with her stroke), but she will make some big strides on that. She is not the tallest rower on the team, but she makes it up with toughness, strength and work ethic. She fits in great. She's an important part of our team." The Wolverines desperately want to qualify for NCAAs as a team after a near-miss a year ago. At NCAA regionals, two eight-rower boats and one four-rower boat count for scoring. "They are very different," Timmons said of rowing in the two types of boats. "In a four (boat), there is nowhere to hide. You are out in the open. If someone messes up, everyone can see it. In the eight, you are racing faster. It is a harder way to row." Thom Timmons said training with Olympians and world-class athletes has had a profound effect on his daughter, who will graduate with a degree in chemical engineering in the spring. "She loves rubbing shoulders with those people," he said. "She quotes them often." Woodard a Spartan Woodard was perfectly happy to just pursue academics in college. But stopping by the crew booth at orientation changed her direction. Woodard said God led her to rowing. "I do feel I was led into this for a purpose," she said. The junior played a major role in a record-breaking season for the Spartans a year ago. The Central Regional and Big Ten champs finished in sixth place at NCAAs, tying a school record. Woodard helped the varsity four boat take fifth place at NCAAs, tying its best-ever finish at the regatta as well. MSU coach Matt Weise called Woodard "a great athlete" who has potential to be in MSU's top boat next spring. "She is doing an exceptional job," he wrote in an e-mail. Like Timmons, she is working hard on her speed and technique. "I definitely feel better than last year. There are a lot of things I can do, and we can do, to produce more speed," she said. Jason Deegan can be reached at jdeegan@livingstoncommunitynews.com or at 810-844-2012. Copyright 2008 Ann Arbor TimeAll Rights Reserved

OSU's second Varsity Eight finishes second at NCAA Championships

Tue, 20 May 2008 18:04:00 +0000

This is a recap from the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships held at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, California, where Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin are competing. DAY 3: Sunday, June 1 MICHIGAN: The Wolverines concluded their 2008 campaign Sunday as its No. 10-ranked first varsity eight placed fifth in the petite final -- 11th overall -- at the NCAA Championships. Virginia, which barely missed out on the grand final yesterday, jumped out to a quarter-length lead on the rest of the field in the opening 500 meters, with Harvard its closest competitor. Michigan was three-quarters of a length behind UVA in sixth place. The Cavaliers and Crimson continued their control of the race at the 1,000 meter mark. They were two seats apart from one another and a full length ahead of the Wolverines. MICHIGAN STATE: Both the varsity eight and varsity four boats tied their best-ever finish at the NCAA Championship regatta on Sunday on Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, Calif. The Spartans, who finished sixth in the team points championship, tied their best-ever finish at the NCAA's. Yale won the varsity eight race, while Brown captured the team title for the second straight season and sixth overall. Both MSU's eight and the four were in Sunday's grand finals; the four placed fifth, while the varsity eight took sixth. MSU's second varsity took 10th overall and was fourth in the petite final. OHIO STATE: Behind a second-place finish in the Grand Final by the Second Varsity Eight, the Buckeyes finished seventh overall with 34 points at the 2008 NCAA Championships Sunday on Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. The runner-up finish by the Buckeye 2V8 is the best national finish for the crew in Ohio State history. The First Varsity Four won its Petite Final race for an overall seventh-place standing. The First Varsity Eight came in third in the C Final for 15th overall. WISCONSIN: Wins by the second varsity eight in the petite final and the varsity eight in the third-level final pushed Wisconsin into 10th-place at the 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships on Sunday. The finish for the Badgers at the three-day long event equaled the program's second-highest result in five NCAA trips. "Today was as positive and as accomplished racing as we've ever had," said head coach Bebe Bryans. "Everybody came ready to race and everybody executed. They improved their performance again. I think, is really proud, as they should be. It was a great Wisconsin effort." DAY 2: Saturday, May 31 MICHIGAN: Michigan's No. 10-ranked first varsity eight was sixth in its semifinal at the NCAA Championships on Saturday. The Wolverines fell behind the top four boats (Brown, Washington, Michigan State, Virginia) in the opening 250 meters and were never able to recover. As a result, the Wolverines will race in the petite final on Sunday. The Wolverines trailed by open water behind the leading four squads heading into the final quarter of the race. Brown, Washington and Michigan State finished first, second and third, respectively, with just 1.71 seconds separating first from third. UVA was 0.28 seconds behind to the Spartans to fall into the petite final. USC was fifth in 6:46.00, while U-M was sixth in 6:48.60. MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans sent two of their three entries to Grand Finals at the NCAA Regatta on Saturday, both with quality racing on Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, Calif. The two boats had different paths to the final, but the end results find the Spartans in the hunt for National Championships. "Im happy with today's results and effort," head coach Matt Weise said. "The varsity was in a great, close race that should give them confidence for Sunday. It was probably our best race performance of the season, and I think that there is more to be had for them. The four didn't have a great race on Friday - today we got effective effort, not just effort, and I think they will learn from that." OHIO STATE: With its third-place finish in the Repechage race Saturday, the Ohio State First Varsity Four crew will set its sights on the top spot in the Petite Final at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at the 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships on Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. The 1V4 was the lone Buckeye boat to race Saturday and will join the Second Varsity Eight, which is racing in the Grand Final and the First Varsity Eight (C Final) in Sunday action. WISCONSIN: One day remains in the 2008 rowing season for the Wisconsin women's openweights after the second varsity eight and varsity four raced in the repechage heats during day two of the 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships. Like the varsity eight did twice on Friday, the second varsity eight finished just one spot from making the next round. In this case it was the third-place Badgers falling just short of qualifying for Sunday's grand final. DAY 1: Friday, May 30 MICHIGAN : The University of Michigan rowing team's No. 10-ranked first varsity eight pulled out a third-place finish in this Friday afternoon's repechage at the NCAA Championships to garner the 12th and final bid into Saturday morning's semifinals. Michigan will race in the second semifinal at 8:15 a.m. PDT Saturday against Brown, Michigan State, Southern Cal, Virginia and Washington. The top three finishers from each of the two semifinals advance to the grand final on Sunday. The bottom three teams from the semifinals move on to the petite final. The Wolverines ended up in the repechage after taking fourth place in their five-team heat Friday morning, missing out on a top-three finish that would have advanced them directly to the semifinals. MICHIGAN STATE : Michigan State kicked off action at the 2008 NCAA Regatta on Friday morning with some strong results, posting second-place finishes in the varsity eight and varsity four races and a fourth-place finish in the opening heat for the second varsity eight. Racing resumes for all three boats on Saturday morning, but some strong performances on the opening afternoon has optimism high in the Green and White camp. "Success at this championship is about three straight days of good performances, and hopefully your best day is the last," noted head coach Matt Weise. "Today, we put ourselves in a very good position for tomorrow with all of our boats. We had a little trouble with some equipment in the varsity boat, so their finish is more impressive, considering the circumstance." OHIO STATE : With its first-place finish in its morning heat Friday, the Ohio State Second Varsity Eight crew advanced to the Grand Final of the 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships at 1:45 ET Sunday on Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. The 2V8 will look to better its personal-best fourth-place standing from 2005 and 2006. After finishing fourth in its initial heat, the First Varsity Four will return to action at 12:15 ET Saturday in one of two Repechage races. The Top 3 boats from each Repechage will move on to the Grand Final Sunday. The First Varsity Eight will compete in the C Final at 2 p.m. ET Sunday after consecutive sixth-place finishes on the first day. WISCONSIN : No. 13 Wisconsin finished up day one at the 2008 NCAA Rowing Championships on Lake Natoma with the second varsity eight and varsity four still in the running for national titles, while the varsity eight will race in Sunday's third-level final. On a nearly perfect race day, with mostly flat water, sunny skies and temperatures reaching the mid-70s, Wisconsin's varsity eight produced a pair of fourth-place finishes. Both finishes for the varsity eight were just one spot short of getting the UW to the semifinals for the first time in school history. Information for this report was provided by mgoblue.com, msuspartans.com and uwbadgers.com.

Badger rowers win again at World U-23 Championships

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:12:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. - It has been a charmed existence for a small group of the Wisconsin men's rowing team this Spring and the winning continued Sunday as four men's Badgers won the men's eight gold medal at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Under 23 Championships. The four were also joined by a gold medal-winning rower from the UW women's rowing program as the four-day event wrapped up in Brandenburg, Germany. The men's eight that included Wisconsin rowers coxswain Daniel Connolly, Grant James, Ross James and Derek Rasmussen won the gold medal by nearly four seconds. Down off the line, the U.S. crew gained the lead by the 500-meter mark, with Canada just a few seats behind. At 1750 meters, Connolly made a call that made the U.S. boat shoot out two seats, clocking a 5:49.42 for the win. Canada won silver in a 5:53.30, with Poland in third with a 5:54.57. Germany followed in a 5:56.64, with Great Britain and defending champion Estonia in fourth and fifth, respectively. For the James brothers and Rasmussen, they add world champion to their earlier varsity eight national championship. Connelly adds world champion to a conference championship and national bronze medal from the UW's second varsity eight. The women's eight, with Badger Theresa Shields also won gold to give the U.S. a sweep of the glamour events.. The boat finished 3.71 seconds ahead of Poland. "It was the most amazing race," said stroke-seat Suzanne Van Fleet. "It exceeded our expectations. We're so excited to be under-23 world champions." The U.S. crew was able to take the lead from Poland in the second half of the race, and continued to widen the gap through the sprint, clocking a 6:36.01. Poland crossed second in a 6:39.72, with Belarus in third with a time of 6:43.35. Canada crossed in a 6:46.22, followed by Germany (6:46.46) and Russia (6:52.26). Men's rower Joe McMullin finished fifth in the final of the men's four with coxswain. Italy, the defending champion in the event, won in a 6:29.04, with Ukraine in second (6:34.43) and Germany in third (6:36.09). The U.S. crew clocked a 6:43.22. Ed Newman, Max Goff and Zach Krupp finished third in the B final of the men's four, placing ninth overall. Romania won the race in a 6:25.97. The U.S. crew raced even with Denmark the entire length of the course, but Denmark pulled ahead in the final few strokes to finish second in a 6:27.47. The U.S. clocked a 6:28.52, with France, Poland and Bulgaria following. The lightweight women's double sculls, with Kristin Hedstrom, finished sixth in the B final, to place 12th overall. Hungary won the race in a 7:40.04, with Australia in second with a 7:40.84 and defending champion Poland third in a 7:41.82. The U.S. crew clocked a 7:51.79. Hedstrom raced in the event last year, finishing 16th. In total, 56 nations and nearly 800 athletes competed in the 20 events at the 2008 World Rowing Under 23 Championships. Germany led the medal standings, with a total of twelve. Formerly known as the Nation's Cup and the Match des Seniors, 2008 marks the fourth year that the Under 23 regatta has held ""World Rowing Championship"" status. The event, which started in 1976, acts as a stepping stone for athletes on their way to elite status. Next year's championships will be held July 23-26 in Racice/Prague, Czech Republic

Wisconsin rowing hires two-time Olmpian Rigsby

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:58:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin women's rowing head coach Bebe Bryans has announced the hiring of two-time Olympic medalist Karen Rigsby as the program's new varsity assistant coach. "Karen is somebody that I've had my eye on for a while," said Bryans. "Her energy, her depth of experience, both on the water and as a teacher, is really going to add a dimension to the team that we hope will take us to the next level." Formerly known as Karen Kraft, Rigsby has been a Madison resident since 2001. A certified Bikram Yoga instructor, the California native has previously worked with the UW rowing team, as well as the Badger football program, in yoga training. Rigsby joins the Wisconsin staff with over 12 years of rowing experience, including a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics and a bronze medal in the 2000 Olympics in the pair. She earned USRowing's Female Athlete of the Year after both medals and was therefore nominated for the United States Olympic Committee's Sportswoman of the Year award in 1996 and 2000. "I am super excited to coach under Bebe and I think the women are just at the verge of getting to the next level," said Rigsby. "They've been working at it and climbing, and I think in the next year or two a national championship is in their grasp. I really believe that. With all the tools they have and their work ethic, it is within their grasp this year. Other than making the Olympic team, this is the next biggest step for me as far as excitement in rowing. I would rank it right up there." In addition to her Olympic experience, Rigsby rowed with her pair partner, Missy Ryan, to gold medals at various international and national events, including the 1996 and 1999 Lucerne, Switzerland World Cups, the 1995 Duisburg, Germany World Cup and the 1996 and 1999 U.S. national championships. The duo won a silver medal at the 1995 World Championships in Finland. She worked as a summer camp rowing coach from 2001-04 in Madison with the UW-Madison and Camp Randall Rowing Camps, sending boats on to 12 gold medals at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. She also coached in the summer of 2007 at the Princeton University Elite Rowing Camp Rigsby lives in Madison, with her husband, Calvin. She is a 1991 graduate of Cal Poly State-San Luis Obispo with a bachelor of architecture degree. She has also done coursework at Cal State-Hayward, Stanford and Wisconsin in the areas of physiology and biomechanics. "Bebe and I actually have some history," added Rigsby. "She coached my pair partner all through Georgetown and so our technique as a pair was greatly due to her coaching. She also coached us in 1995 going into the Olympics so I have a ton of respect of her as a coach. When I heard she was coming to Madison, I thought it would be an awesome opportunity if I could volunteer to coach under her or do something, but it didn't work out with school until this year when all of a sudden there was a position. "I think she has great energy and she is a very focused and intense coach and I think I can learn a lot from her. I think I can also lend a different perspective, as well, since I didn't come through a Division I program. I came through a club sport program. I didn't spend most of my time in big boats like the university's, I spent most of my time in the pair so kind of a different technical perspective than the typical collegiate coach. I'll be able to learn a ton from Bebe, but I think I also offer a fresh perspective on sort of a unique journey I had in rowing."

Indiana has successful outing in Chicago

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 16:09:00 +0000

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Indiana rowing team turned in a successful outing at the Southland Regatta at Faye's Point in Blue Island and Calumet Park, Ill., on Sunday. The Hoosiers' top Varsity 8 crew placed 11th among 23 teams with a time of 17:14.125 in the 5,000-meter head race. IU's second Varsity 8 finished 18th with a time 17:46.682 in the same event. Indiana also had crews in the 2,000-meter races as it's second Varsity 4 won their final in 7:20.700, beating Minnesota and Notre Dame. In another 2,000-meter final, the Hoosier's top Varsity 4 crew finished third in 7:12.200. In the novice race, the Hoosier's top Novice 8 placed fifth with a time of 18:43.812, while the second Novice crew recorded a time of 21:00.951 for 17th place. "I was very proud of the novice women this weekend," Assistant Coach Josh Adam said. "I told them the one thing that I wanted to hear from them when they got off the water was, 'That row was the best we could have done at that time,' and they all agreed that they had given what they had for where they are at in the development process. Sure, we would have liked to perform better in 1N and 2N, but these results showed that we are on the right track, developmentally. The Big Ten is a big, strong, and fast conference. What we gained this weekend was some incentive to work hard through the winter. And that incentive will certainly propel us into a great spring season." The Hoosiers will complete the fall season on Saturday, Nov. 8 with the Fall Intra-Squad Class Race Classic at Lake Lemon.