Weekly Release #7

Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, May 3 -- at Big Ten Championships (Columbus, Ohio)
Saturday, May 17 -- at Central Region Championships (Oak Ridge, Tenn.)

Michigan This Week
The No. 6-ranked Michigan rowing team begins its postseason at the Big Ten Women's Rowing Championships on Saturday (May 3) on the Scioto River in Columbus, Ohio. The regatta will begin at 8 a.m. with host and No. 11-ranked Ohio State, No. 10 Michigan State, No. 17 Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin accompanying the Wolverines. Michigan won the first two Big Ten Championships in 2000 and 2001 while Ohio State knocked U-M into second place last year.

8:00 a.m.	II Novice Eight, Heat 1
8:15 a.m.	II Novice Eight, Heat 2
8:30 a.m.	I Novice Eight, Heat 1
8:45 a.m.	I Novice Eight, Heat 2
9:00 a.m.	II Varsity Four, Heat 1
9:15 a.m.	II Varsity Four, Heat 2
9:30 a.m.	I Varsity Four, Heat 1
9:45 a.m.	I Varsity Four, Heat 2
10:00 a.m.	II Varsity Eight, Heat 1
10:15 a.m.	II Varsity Eight, Heat 2
10:30 a.m.	I Varsity Eight, Heat 1
10:45 a.m.	I Varsity Eight, Heat 2

12:00 p.m.	II Novice Eight, Petite Final
12:15 p.m.	II Novice Eight, Grande Final
12:30 p.m.	I Novice Eight, Petite Final
12:45 p.m.	I Novice Eight, Grande Final
1:00 p.m.	II Varsity Four, Petite Final
1:15 p.m.	II Varsity Four, Grande Final
1:30 p.m.	I Varsity Four, Petite Final
1:45 p.m.	I Varsity Four, Grande Final
2:00 p.m.	II Varsity Eight, Petite Final
2:15 p.m.	II Varsity Eight, Grande Final
2:30 p.m.	I Varsity Eight, Petite Final
2:45 p.m.	I Varsity Eight, Grande Final
4:00 p.m.	Awards Presentation

Live Results
Ohio State will be providing live scoring and team total updates on its
website, ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Final results and award winners will also be posted following the regatta.

Forecast
The forecast for Columbus, Ohio, calls for a high of 67 degrees with wind from the north at 12 mph.

Championship Format
Up to six boats race for each team at the Big Ten Championships: first varsity eight, second varsity eight, first varsity four, second varsity four, first novice eight and second novice eight. The set of boats are split into two heats in the morning session. The top four teams advance to the grande final in the afternoon while the remaining teams finish the day in the petite final. Each boat earns points for its team based on its finish (see chart below).

Place-Points

Race	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
IV8	63	54	45	36	27	18	9
IIV8	42	36	30	24	18	12	6
IV4	21	18	15	12	9	6	3
IIV4	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
IN8	21	18	15	12	9	6	3
IIN8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

Last Year at the Big Ten Championships
At the 2002 Big Ten Championships, held in East Lansing, Mich., the Wolverines dropped to second place behind Ohio State after gaining Big Ten titles in 2000 and 2001. The Big Ten title came down to a first varsity eight battle in the last race of the day. The first eight finishes of Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State dictated the final standings with OSU ending with 138 points, U-M with 124 and MSU with 109. Michigan had two other second-place crews in the second varsity eight and the first novice eight, but U-M did not receive any first-place finishes.

Big Ten's Leader and Best
Michigan's first varsity eight has compiled three consecutive Big Ten Boat of the Week awards, a school record, to finish off the 2003 regular season. On April 6, the Wolverines defeated No. 10 Michigan State 6:32.37 to 6:36.17 to earn their first weekly award of the year. The following week on April 12, the first eight swept then No. 10 Virginia (6:21.7 to 6:26.8) and Duke (6:21.2 to 6:33.8) as it earned co-Boat of the Week with Ohio State's first varsity eight. Lastly, the varsity eight upended Indiana (6:44.92 to 6:59.03) and No. 11 Ohio State (6:26.59 to 6:35.91) on April 19 to push its winning streak to five races and share the weekly laurels with Michigan State's first varsity eight.

Familiar Waters
The Wolverines have already had a chance this season to row on the Scioto River. The last time U-M traveled to Columbus, Ohio, its varsity boats were perfect with eight wins in the ACC/Big Ten Double Dual against then No. 10 Virginia and Duke.

Postseason Continues
Following the Big Ten Championships, the Maize and Blue move on to the Central Region Championships on May 17 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Wolverines have won five consecutive Central Region titles. The NCAA Championships run from May 30-June 1 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Head of the Class
16 Michigan rowers earned a Michigan Athletics Academic Achievement Award on April 14. The honor was given to student-athletes who had either a 3.0 cumulative GPA or two consecutive semesters with at least a 3.0 GPA.

Probable Lineups

First Varsity Eight coxswain: Helen Dalis 8-seat: Erin Kopicki 7-seat: Crystal Culp 6-seat: Stesha Carl 5-seat: Heather Mandoli 4-seat: Leah Ketcheson 3-seat: Brett Sickler 2-seat: Kate Maxim 1-seat: Katie Reynolds Second Varsity Eight coxswain: Tara Medina 8-seat: Sarah Trowbridge 7-seat: Emily Goodwin 6-seat: Elizabeth Godek 5-seat: Heather DeHainaut 4-seat: Laura Drongowski 3-seat: Elizabeth Kreger 2-seat: Emke Bury 1-seat: Christina Ceo Varsity Four coxswain: Louisa DiLeone 4-seat: Stephanie Shapiro 3-seat: Christin Plunkett 2-seat: Janine Hanson 1-seat: Amy Coughlin

At the Big Ten Invitational
Michigan's first varsity eight and first varsity four extended their winning streaks to five races on April 19 at the Big Ten Invitational against Indiana and No. 11 Ohio State on Lake Ovid in East Lansing, Mich. The first varsity eight notched its first win of the day with a time of 6:44.92 against Indiana (6:59.03). The second eight earned a victory over IU as well with a finish of 7:04.30, 20 seconds ahead of the Hoosiers (7:24.58). The varsity four and novice eight boats also tallied wins over the competition. Against the Buckeyes, U-M hit the finish line in 6:26.59, nearly two boat lengths ahead of OSU (6:35.91). Unfortunately, the second varsity eight had its four-race winning streak snapped in an open-water loss to Ohio State. The first varsity eight finished its day with another victory in 7:31.74, ahead of Ohio State and Michigan State. The novice eights were swept by OSU.

Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423