Weekly Release #6

Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, April 29 -- at Big Ten Championships (Madison, Wis.), 8 a.m. CDT
Saturday, May 13 -- at Central Region Championships (Oak Ridge, Tenn.)

This Week for Michigan
The 10th-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing team heads to Madison, Wis., for the inaugural Big Ten Conference Women's Rowing Championship on Saturday (April 29). The one-day event begins with morning heats (starting at 8 a.m. CDT) and concludes with the Petite and Grande Finals for the six events in the afternoon (starting at noon).

The Location
The event takes place on Lake Wingra in Madison, Wis., with the University of Wisconsin serving as the host The Wolverines have rowed at the facility in the past, as it has been the site of the Midwest Rowing Championships. The championship course at Lake Wingra is 1,850 meters, as opposed to the more common 2,000-meter courses.

The Competition
With the addition of Indiana's rowing program, the Big Ten Conference now has six programs at the varsity level this season, the minimum required for a conference championship. No. 17 Iowa, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 13 Ohio State and No. 11 Wisconsin also have varsity crews.

The Boats
Each school can bring up to six boats to the championship -- first varsity eight, second varsity eight, first varsity four, second varsity four, first novice eight and second novice eight. The First Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and First Varsity Four will be the only scoring races. The other three events will be non-scoring and will not count toward the team championship.

The Schedule
For events with six boats, there will be two heats of three boats in the morning, with the top two boats advancing to the Grande Final and the remaining boat advancing to the Petite Final. In events with only five boats, a single five-boat heat in the morning will determine lane positions for a five-boat final in the afternoon.

The Forecast
The weather forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with a high in the mid-60s and a low around 38 degrees.

Michigan in the Polls
Michigan's crew is ranked 10th in the latest USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Poll (April 19). The University of Washington is still in the No. 1 spot, while Brown University, the defending national champion, is ranked second. The USRowing/CRCA poll is conducted weekly.

Probable Lineups

VARSITY EIGHT Coxswain Belinda Koo Stroke Kate Johnson Seat 7 Angela Bierhuizen Seat 6 Kristine Johns Seat 5 Jaime Stilson Seat 4 Melanie Duncan Seat 3 Sophie Roberge Seat 2 Laurel Donnell-Fink Bow Alison Hickey 2nd VARSITY EIGHT Coxswain Helen Dalis Stroke Kate Maxim Seat 7 Sera Coppolino Seat 6 Liz Nelson Seat 5 Christine Meyer Seat 4 Jenny Bryant Seat 3 Julie Brescoll Seat 2 Jen Kinon Bow Tamara McBratney VARSITY FOUR Coxswain Fazeela Siddiqui Stroke Rachel Brunelle Seat 3 Jeanine Seeger Seat 2 Justin Goble Bow Petra Juzwishin