Weekly Release #8

Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., May 26-28 -- at NCAA Championships (Camden County, N.J.)

This Week for Michigan
The seventh-ranked Michigan women's rowing team, the 2000 Big Ten Conference and Central Region champion, is making its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships. The event is Friday through Sunday, May 26-28, at the Cooper River Park in Camden County, N.J.

The Location
Cooper River Park, located in Camden County, N.J., is the site of the fourth annual NCAA Women's Rowing Championships. Located on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, Cooper River Park is approximately seven miles east of downtown Philadelphia. This is the first time the event has been held in the northeast, as the 1997 and 1999 championships were held in Sacramento, Calif., and the 1998 championships were held in Gainesville, Ga.

The Competition
The Wolverines received one of 10 team bids to the NCAA Championships. The nine other teams invited are Boston University, Brown, California, Harvard, Michigan State, Ohio State, Princeton, Virginia and Washington. The first varsity eight boats of California-Davis, Northeastern, Oregon State, Southern California, Syracuse, Wesleyan (Conn.), Williams College, William Smith (N.Y.) and Yale also received bids.

The Format
Every boat at the regatta rows at least twice throughout the competition. For the Varsity Four and Second Varsity Eight boats, the progression is heats on Friday (May 26), repechage races on Saturday (May 27) and petite (places 7-10) and grand (places 1-6) finals on Sunday (May 28). The First Varsity Eight boats have heats and repechage races on Friday, semifinals and the "C" final (places 13-19) on Saturday and petite (places 7-12) and grand (places 1-6) finals on Sunday.

The Forecast
The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and highs around 80 for all three days of the regatta.

The Last Time at the NCAA Championships
Last year, Michigan finished fifth for the second consecutive year at the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships. The first varsity eight missed the grand finals by just six inches and had to settle for a victory in the petite final which was good for seventh place overall. The second varsity eight finished third, the highest finish of a Michigan boat at the national championships. The varsity four placed fourth in its grand final.

Michigan in the Polls
Michigan is ranked seventh in the final USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Poll (May 17). Brown University, the defending national champion, was ranked second for a majority of the season but is now the No. 1 team in the poll headed into the NCAA Championships.

Probable Lineups

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