Weekly Release #7
5/22/2002 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Upcoming Schedule
May 31-June 2 -- at NCAA Championships (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Complete Release in PDF (4 pages, 97 KB)
Michigan Aims for Team Title at NCAA Championships
The fifth-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing team looks for its first national title in its fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships on May 31-June 2 in Indianapolis, Ind. Several changes await the team, as the format has expanded to 12 Division I teams, the date has moved back one week and the championships are located in the Midwest for the first time. The five-hour drive to Eagle Creek Reservoir makes it the closest national championship regatta in which the Wolverines have competed.
Schedule of Events
Friday, May 31 8:00 a.m. First varsity eight (Heats) 10:00 a.m. Varsity four (Heats) 11:00 a.m. Second varsity eight (Heats) 4:00 p.m. First varsity eight (Repechage Heats) Saturday, June 1 9:30 a.m. Varsity four (Repechage Heats) 10:00 a.m. Second varsity eight (Repechage Heats) 10:30 a.m. First varsity eight (Semifinals) 11:00 a.m. First Varsity Eight (Places 13-16) Sunday, June 2 10:00 a.m. Varsity four Petite Final (places 7-12) 10:15 a.m. Varsity four Grande Final (places 1-6) 11:00 a.m. Second varsity eight Petite Final (places 7-12) 11:15 a.m. Second varsity eight Grande Final (places 1-6) 11:30 a.m. First varsity eight Petite Final (places 7-12) 11:45 a.m. First varsity eight Grande Final (places 1-6) 12:30 p.m. Awards Ceremony
The Format
The NCAA Rowing Championships have a new look this season. The format for this season creates three separate national championships -- Division I, Division II and Division III -- which take place on the same course over the same dates. For the Division I championships, the field expands to 12 teams and four first varsity eight boats which are not part of a program that is participating as a team. The expansion results in a first varsity eight event with 16 participants and second varsity eight and varsity four events with 12 participants.
The Field
Michigan is one of 12 schools invited to the championships as a team to race in the first varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four events. The other 11 schools with team bids are Brown, California, Harvard, Michigan State, Ohio State, Princeton, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Washington and Yale. Four programs -- Cornell, Notre Dame, Southern California and Washington State -- will participate only in the first varsity eight competition and are not eligible for team points.
The Forecast
The long-range forecast calls for partly sunny skies and highs in the mid-70s during the week of the national championships.
Last Year at the NCAA Championships
Then-No. 2 Michigan won three of its first four races and advanced all three boats advanced to the Grande Finals of their respective events en route to a runner-up finish at the 2001 NCAA Championships on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Ga. On the final day of the championships, the varsity four started the morning with a second-place effort, falling to Washington by less than three seconds. It was the highest finish by any U-M boat at the national championships until the second varsity eight won the program's first national title. The second varsity eight dominated its race from start to finish to set a new NCAA-record time of 6:43.34 and become the first national champion in any event to win by open water. The Wolverines led Washington by one point heading into the final race of the day, but the Huskies won the first varsity eight race and the national title, while U-M finished third in the event. The Wolverines placed second in the team standings, tying the best finish by any U-M women's program at the time.
Fifth Central Region Title Provides Momentum for NCAAs
No. 5 Michigan won all seven races on the first day of the Central Region Championships (May 18-19) on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn., to set up a showdown with third-ranked Ohio State in the finals. The Wolverines finished second to the Buckeyes in three Grande Finals -- first varsity eight, second varsity four and first novice eight -- but ended the regatta with 106 team points, 18 more than the second-place Buckeyes (88 points). U-M, which finished second to OSU at the Big Ten Conference Championships (May 4), fell to OSU in the first varsity eight, second varsity four and first novice eight, but Michigan captured the team title with help from large margins of victory in the second varsity eight and first varsity four.
Joining the Rowing Elite
In just its sixth year as a varsity program, Michigan is a relative newcomer in the sport of rowing. However, the Wolverines have made a big impact on the national scene in that short time. In the five-year history of the NCAA Championships, only six teams have received four or more team bids -- Brown (5), Harvard (4), Michigan (4), Princeton (5), Virginia (5) and Washington (5). Brown and Washington have combined to win all five national titles, while Michigan, Princeton and Virginia have each finished second on one occasion. Harvard's best finish is seventh (1998 and 1999).
Joining the Rowing Elite II
In addition to team accomplishments, Michigan became the sixth program to win an individual championship in the five-year history of the championships when the second varsity eight finished first at the 2001 NCAA Championships. Washington leads the way with six boat titles, followed by Brown (4) and Virginia (2). Michigan, Princeton and Southern California each have one individual title.
In the NCAA Record Book
Michigan's 2001 second varsity eight not only won a national championships but also earned a spot in the record book. The crew's time of 6:43.34 is the fastest time by a second varsity eight and the second-fastest time by any title-winning boat (Washington, first varsity eight, 1997, 6:31.8) in the history of the NCAA Rowing Championships.
Strength of the Big Ten
Big Ten rivals Michigan State (1999-2000) and Ohio State (2000-01) are each making their third trip to the NCAA Championships. This is the fourth consecutive year in which three Big Ten teams have been selected to the NCAA Championships, a reflection of the strength of the programs in the conference. In addition to the Wolverines, Spartans and Buckeyes, Iowa (2001) and Wisconsin (1999) have also participated in the national championships.
Postseason Shift
The NCAA Championships have traditionally taken place the last full weekend of May, with the final day of racing taking place on Memorial Day. However, the NCAA Women's Rowing Committee and the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet changed the championship date formula so the national championships do not fall on Memorial Day weekend. The timing of the change is perfect since there is a lack of hotel rooms and increased difficulty with travel because of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500 automobile race, on Sunday, May 26.
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.
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 for the majority of the 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 later this week.
Michigan in the Polls
Michigan remained No. 5 in the latest USRowing/CRCA poll (May 15) following a week off 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 13 of 20 first-place votes this week. The NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Committee ranked the team first in the Central Region, the first varsity eight and second varsity eight No. 2 in the Central Region and the varsity four third (May 13).
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 First Varsity Four Coxswain Corinn Cunningham Stroke Angela Bierhuizen Seat 3 Emily Goodwin Seat 2 Christina Ceo Bow Emke Bury Spare Kristin Rosella Spare Amy Coughlin
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
