Weekly Release #6
5/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Sat-Sun., May 18-19 -- at Central Region Championships (Oak Ridge, Tenn.)
May 31-June 2 -- at NCAA Championships (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Complete Release in PDF (2 pages, 67 KB)
Michigan This Week
The fifth-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing team competes in the Central Regional Championships -- also known as the Lexus Sprints -- this Saturday and Sunday (May 18-19) on the friendly water of Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Wolverines are looking to maintain two streaks this weekend, as they have won four consecutive team titles and are undefeated in their last 12 races at the championships. U-M, which finished second at the Big Ten Conference Championships (May 4), will face five other Big Ten teams -- No. 3 Ohio State, No. 11 Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota -- for the second time in three weeks. While a bid to the NCAA Championships is not automatic for the winner of the Central Regional Championships, the first-place team in each of the last five years has advanced to the national championships.
Central Region Championships Schedule
Saturday Heats
9:00 a.m. I Novice Eight, Heat 1 9:15 a.m. I Novice Eight, Heat 2 9:30 a.m. II Varsity Four, Heat 1 9:45 a.m. II Varsity Four, Heat 2 10:00 a.m. I Varsity Four, Heat 1 10:15 a.m. I Varsity Four, Heat 2 10:30 a.m. II Varsity Eight, Heat 1 10:45 a.m. II Varsity Eight, Heat 2 11:00 a.m. II Varsity Eight, Heat 3 11:15 a.m. I Varsity Eight, Heat 1 11:30 a.m. I Varsity Eight, Heat 2 11:45 a.m. I Varsity Eight, Heat 3 2:00 p.m. I Novice Eight, Repechage 1 2:15 p.m. I Novice Eight, Repechage 2 2:30 p.m. II Varsity Four, Repechage 1 2:45 p.m. II Varsity Four, Repechage 2 3:00 p.m. I Varsity Four, Repechage 1 3:15 p.m. I Varsity Four, Repechage 2 3:30 p.m. II Varsity Eight, Semifinal 1 3:45 p.m. II Varsity Eight, Semifinal 2 4:00 p.m. I Varsity Eight, Semifinal 1 4:15 p.m. I Varsity Eight, Semifinal 2
Sunday Finals
9:00 a.m. II Varsity Eight, C Level Final 9:15 a.m. I Varsity Eight, C Level Final 9:30 a.m. II Novice Eight, Grand Final 9:45 a.m. I Novice Eight, Petite Final 10:00 a.m. I Novice Eight, Grand Final 10:15 a.m. II Varsity Four, Petite Final 10:30 a.m. II Varsity Four, Grand Final 10:45 a.m. I Varsity Four, Petite Final 11:00 a.m. I Varsity Four, Grand Final 11:15 a.m. II Varsity Eight, Petite Final 11:30 a.m. II Varsity Eight, Grand Final 11:45 a.m. I Varsity Eight, Petite Final 12:00 p.m. I Varsity Eight, Grand Final
The Forecast
The forecast calls for scattered showers and a high in the mid-70s on Saturday (May 18) and partly cloudy skies with the same temperature on Sunday (May 19).
Last Year at the Central Region Championships
Then-No. 2 Michigan won all 10 races in which it participated and won the team title for the fourth consecutive year at the 2001 Central Region Championships. Championships by the first varsity eight, second varsity eight, first varsity four, second varsity four and novice eight marked the first time the Wolverines had swept each event it entered at the championships and helped the team earn a bid to the NCAA Championships for the fourth consecutive year. The victory by the first novice eight was the first title by a U-M novice boat at the championships. The wins by the first varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four extended the Wolverines' season-long undefeated streak for each of the top three boats.
Wolverines Just Shy of Three-Peat at Big Ten Championships
Michigan's first varsity eight finished second to Ohio State by three seats to give the Wolverines a second-place team finsh to the Buckeyes at the Big Ten Women's Rowing Championships (May 4) on Lake Ovid at Sleepy Hollow State Park in East Lansing, Mich. U-M's second varsity eight and first novice eight also captured second place in their respective races, while the first varsity four and second varsity four finished in third. The second novice eight was sixth in its race.
Four Rowers Named to All-Big Ten Team
The second-place finish of the first varsity eight placed four U-M rowers on the All-Big Ten team, which is determined by the first varsity eight standings. Tamara McBratney (Brockville, Ontario/Brockville Collegiate) and Christina Meyer (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) were both named to the All-Big Ten first team, while Sophie Roberge (Mallorytown, Ontario/Thousand Islands) and Heather Mandoli (Kelowna, British Columbia/KLO Secondary School) were named to the All-Big Ten second team.
Ketcheson Named Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Freshman Leah Ketcheson (Belleville, Ontario/Bayside SS) became the first Michigan rower to earn the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor for rowing in the three years the sport has been sponsored by the conference when she was selected for the award by the league's seven head coaches on May 7. Ketcheson, who has stroked the Wolverines' first varsity eight the entire season, is the first freshman to stroke the first varsity eight since 1997, when three-time All-American Kate Johnson (1997-2001) stroked the first of her four years in the boat. Ketcheson led the Wolverines' first varsity eight, which has been ranked among the top 10 in the nation the entire season, to Big Ten Boat of the Week honors after upsetting then-No. 3 Ohio State at the Buckeye Invitational (April 13). During winter training, she set the U-M freshman 2,000-meter record on the ergometer with a time of 6:56.
What's the Deal with the Automatic Bid
The Central Region Championships winner does not receive the Central Region's automatic bid for the NCAA Championships. Bids for the national championships -- automatic and at-large -- are awarded based on several criteria. However, because of the level of competition and the late-season date of the regatta, results from the Central Region Championships are heavily considered in the selection process.
Postseason Shift
The dates for first two events of the postseason -- the Big Ten Championships and the Central Region Championships -- are based on the dates of the NCAA Championships. The national championships have traditionally taken place the last full weekend of May, with the final day of racing taking place on Memorial Day. The championships are a week later this year (May 31-June 2) due to a lack of hotel rooms and increased difficulty with travel because of the Indianapolis 500 auto race on Sunday, May 26.
New Look Wolverines
For the first time in a several years, the Wolverines have a completely different look. Gone are eight seniors who were mainstays in the two varsity eight boats, including Kate Johnson (1998-2001), who stroked the first varsity eight for all but two races in the last four years, and Melanie Duncan (1998-2001), who stroked the second varsity eight to an undefeated season in 2001. This season, the Wolverines have unveiled varsity eight lineups with 12 of 18 athletes who were new to their boat. Among the six freshmen in the two varsity eight lineups this spring are Leah Ketcheson and Brett Sickler (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos HS), who have stroked the first and second varsity eight boats, respectively, in each race so far this season.
Academic Honors
The fifth-ranked Wolverines are hard at work on the water and in the classroom. At the U-M awards reception (April 9), 28 Michigan rowers received the U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award. Of the 23 athletes in the three NCAA boats (first varsity eight, second varsity eight and first varsity four), 11 received the distinction. The Academic All-Big Ten spring team will be announced next week.
Michigan in the Polls
Michigan fell to No. 5 in the latest USRowing/CRCA poll (May 8) after finishing second to No. 3 Ohio State at the Big Ten Championships. Washington, the defending national champion, continues to hold the No. 1 spot and received 12 of 18 first-place votes this week. The NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Committee ranked the team, the first varsity eight and the first varsity four No. 1 and the second varsity eight No. 2 in the Central Region (April 29).
Approaching the Finish Line
The Wolverines aim for a bid to the NCAA Championships with a strong showing at the Central Region Championships (May 18-19). The national championships, May 31-June 2, will be held on the Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, Ind.
Head Coach Mark Rothstein
Mark Rothstein is in his sixth year as the head coach of the Michigan rowing team. Rothstein, the only head coach in the program's history, has led the program from its conservative beginning to a second-place finish at the 2001 NCAA Rowing Championships, including a national championship by the second varsity eight. Each of the last two years he has guided the team to Big Ten championships and has been named the Big Ten and Midwest Region Coach of the Year. For his outstanding efforts in the 2001 season, he was selected as the National Coach of the Year.
Probable Lineups
VARSITY EIGHT Coxswain Helen Dalis Stroke Kate Maxim Seat 7 Tami McBratney Seat 6 Leah Ketcheson Seat 5 Christina Meyer Seat 4 Erin Kopicki Seat 3 Sophie Roberge Seat 2 Katie Reynolds Bow Crystal Culp 2nd VARSITY EIGHT Coxswain Tara Medina Stroke Brett Sickler Seat 7 Heather Mandoli Seat 6 Elizabeth Nelson Seat 5 Elizabeth Kreger Seat 4 Jenny Bryant Seat 3 Cristin McCarty Seat 2 Laura Drongowski Bow Julie Brescoll VARSITY FOUR Coxswain Corrin Cunningham Stroke Angela Bierhuizen Seat 3 Emily Goodwin Seat 2 Christina Ceo Bow Emoke Bury 2nd VARSITY FOUR Coxswain Mary-Catherine Steer Stroke Kristin Rosella Seat 3 Stephanie Shapiro Seat 2 Pamela Woll Bow Amy Coughlin
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
