Michigan
Big Ten Heats
First Varsity Eight, Team Earn Silver Medals at Big Tens
5/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Site: Columbus, Ohio (Griggs Reservoir, Scioto River)
Event: #5 Michigan at Big Ten Championships
U-M Team Finish: 2nd Place of 7 Teams (126 Points)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., May 16-17 -- at Central/South Region Sprints (Oak Ridge, Tenn.)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The University of Michigan women's rowing team collected a second-place overall finish at the 2009 Big Ten Conference Championships on Saturday afternoon (May 2) at Griggs Reservoir on the Scioto River. Four Wolverine crews -- the first varsity eight, second varsity four, and first and second novice eights -- earned silver medals, while the second varsity eight also reached the medal stand with a third-place effort.
Michigan State won the overall team championship on the strength of first-place performances from its first and second varsity eights, which combined for 105 of the team's 137 points. Michigan (126 points) was the runner-up as a team for the third time in 10 years. Ohio State took third with 123 points, 10 points ahead of fourth-place Wisconsin. Iowa was fifth (60), followed by Minnesota (59) and Indiana (24).
The No. 5-ranked Wolverines were in third place through the initial 500 meters of the first varsity eight grand final. No. 3 Michigan State was up five seats on U-M and No. 7 Ohio State had two seats on the Maize and Blue. The Wolverines made a move in the second quarter of the race to overtake OSU for second but were still falling off the pace of the leading Spartans. U-M was seven seats behind MSU at the halfway point of the race and trailed by open water entering the final 500 meters. Meanwhile, OSU was a full length behind Michigan and No. 14 Wisconsin was well back of the Buckeyes. The sprint was rather uneventful as the spread between each boat was no less than a full length. Michigan State won in 6:06.296, followed by Michigan in 6:09.862, Ohio State in 6:13.746 and Wisconsin in 6:17.036. U-M received 54 points for taking second.
The second varsity eight grand final was too close to call in the first 500 meters. Ohio State emerged shortly after with a three-seat lead on U-M and MSU for second. Near 750 meters the Buckeyes made a move that was matched by the Spartans to put the two boats in a battle for first. At the halfway point, OSU and MSU were tied for first with open water back to U-M, which led Wisconsin by two seats. MSU passed OSU in the third 500 meters, while UW moved up on U-M to take over third position. MSU went on to win comfortably over OSU in 6:15.065. The fight for third came down to the very last stroke -- Michigan's final stroke pulled it past Wisconsin to earn bronze in 6:21.523, 0.134 second ahead of the Badgers. U-M earned 30 points.
The first varsity four grand final winner was Ohio State, which was seeded No. 4 entering the Big Ten Championships. In the opening 250 meters the Buckeyes were just ahead of Wisconsin and Minnesota, while Michigan was a few seats back of the pack in fourth. Up to 1,000 meters, OSU had four seats on UW, which had open water on Minnesota, which led U-M by a deck. OSU went on to win by open water in 7:00.140. Michigan went after third-place Minnesota in the sprint but ran out of course and finished fourth to garner 12 points.
Michigan's second varsity four placed runner-up behind Wisconsin, which led wire to wire. At the 500-meter buoy, U-M was in third place -- seven seats back of UW and three seats behind MSU. As Wisconsin stretched its lead to a full length, the Maize and Blue caught Michigan State and proceeded to walk through the Spartans over the next 500 meters. With second place secured, U-M focused on catching Wisconsin in the final quarter of the race. The deficit was too much to overcome, however, and the Badgers won by a full length in 7:00.595. U-M got 12 points for second place. MSU was just under a length back of U-M, and OSU was fourth.
U-M's first novice eight led in the early stage of its grand final, but was quickly overtaken by Wisconsin by 500 meters. UW's advantage reached half a length over second-place Michigan near 1,000 meters. Ohio State and Michigan State were clearly back. The Wolverines made a hard push to reel in the Badgers heading into the final 750 meters of the race. U-M made some headway, but Wisconsin held on during the sprint to win by about three-quarters of a boat length (6:21.478 to 6:24.696). U-M earned 12 points. OSU and MSU were third and fourth, respectively.
The second novice eight grand final again came down to a duel between UW and U-M. From the 250-meter mark on, the Badgers had a one-to-two-seat lead down the entire course. Michigan matched each of Wisconsin's moves but could not overcome the narrow deficit in the sprint, earning a runner-up finish by 0.098 second. The Wolverines collected six points for the second-place showing. MSU and Indiana were third and fourth, respectively.
The Wolverines had a strong start in the morning heats, putting all six boats into the grand finals. The first varsity eight and second novice eight each won its heat, and the other crews earned runner-up finishes.
Michigan has next weekend off before it travels to Oak Ridge, Tenn., for the Central/South Region Sprints on May 16-17.
Final Team Standings
1. Michigan State 137 2. MICHIGAN 126 3. Ohio State 123 4. Wisconsin 113 5. Iowa 60 6. Minnesota 59 7. Indiana 24
Final Results
Morning Heats
First Varsity Eight Heat 1 1. MICHIGAN 6:09.913 2. Michigan State 6:13.577 3. Minnesota 6:21.533 4. Indiana 6:27.399 Heat 2 1. Ohio State 6:07.147 2. Wisconsin 6:07.611 3. Iowa 6:09.357 Second Varsity Eight Heat 1 1. Michigan State 6:18.457 2. MICHIGAN 6:21.777 3. Minnesota 6:28.665 4. Indiana 6:28.969 Heat 2 1. Ohio State 6:19.072 2. Wisconsin 6:23.998 3. Iowa 6:31.408 First Varsity Four Heat 1 1. Wisconsin 6:58.389 2. MICHIGAN 7:00.303 3. Iowa 7:14.983 4. Indiana 7:36.407 Heat 2 1. Ohio State 6:57.956 2. Minnesota 6:59.696 3. Michigan State 7:05.988 Second Varsity Four Heat 1 1. Wisconsin 7:02.783 2. MICHIGAN 7:06.771 3. Minnesota 7:09.191 Heat 2 1. Michigan State 7:07.412 2. Ohio State 7:07.424 3. Iowa 7:18.234 First Novice Eight Heat 1 1. Wisconsin 6:28.167 2. MICHIGAN 6:30.117 3. Minnesota 6:36.635 4. Indiana 6:54.123 Heat 2 1. Ohio State 6:35.919 2. Michigan State 6:36.971 3. Iowa 6:37.957 Second Novice Eight Heat 1 1. MICHIGAN 6:40.228 2. Michigan State 6:46.328 3. Ohio State 6:48.636 4. Minnesota 6:52.616 Heat 2 1. Wisconsin 6:45.705 2. Indiana 6:53.039 3. Iowa 6:57.091
Afternoon Finals
First Varsity Eight Grand Final 1. Michigan State 6:06.296 - 63 points 2. MICHIGAN 6:09.862 - 54 3. Ohio State 6:13.746 - 45 4. Wisconsin 6:17.036 - 36 Petite Final 1. Iowa 6:18.872 - 27 2. Minnesota 6:19.726 - 18 3. Indiana 6:37.678 - 9 Second Varsity Eight Grand Final 1. Michigan State 6:15.065 - 42 2. Ohio State 6:18.481 - 36 3. MICHIGAN 6:21.523 - 30 4. Wisconsin 6:21.657 - 24 Petite Final 1. Iowa 6:34.492 - 18 2. Minnesota 6:38.160 - 12 3. Indiana 6:42.766 - 6 First Varsity Four Grand Final 1. Ohio State 7:00.140 - 21 2. Wisconsin 7:02.856 - 18 3. Minnesota 7:04.328 - 15 4. MICHIGAN 7:06.340 - 12 Petite Final 1. Michigan State 7:08.081 - 9 2. Iowa 7:17.901 - 6 3. Indiana 7:40.813 - 3 Second Varsity Four Grand Final 1. Wisconsin 7:00.595 - 14 2. MICHIGAN 7:04.561 - 12 3. Michigan State 7:07.129 - 10 4. Ohio State 7:08.011 - 8 Petite Final 1. Minnesota 7:06.982 - 6 2. Iowa 7:17.888 - 4 First Novice Eight Grand Final 1. Wisconsin 6:21.478 - 14 2. MICHIGAN 6:24.696 - 12 3. Ohio State 6:32.812 - 10 4. Michigan State 6:35.958 - 8 Petite Final 1. Minnesota 6:36.950 - 6 2. Iowa 6:38.404 - 4 3. Indiana 6:46.740 - 2 Second Novice Eight Grand Final 1. Wisconsin 6:36.547 - 7 2. MICHIGAN 6:36.645 - 6 3. Michigan State 6:47.921 - 5 4. Indiana 6:51.941 - 4 Petite Final 1. Ohio State 6:45.805 - 3 2. Indiana 6:47.151 - 2 3. Iowa 6:52.069 - 1
All-Conference Teams
FIRST TEAM
Ashley Johnson, Indiana
Sheila Rinozzi, Iowa
Caitlin Trumble, Michigan
Karen Colwell, Michigan
Sarah Schmidt, Michigan State
Lauren Gamble, Michigan State
Amanda Dunnill, Michigan State
Lisa Pugh, Minnesota
Susi Herbrand, Ohio State
Theresa Shields, Wisconsin
SECOND TEAM
Rachel Anderson, Indiana
Jessica Novack, Iowa
Ashley Kroll, Michigan
Adrienne Mecham, Michigan
Ashley Peach, Michigan State
Nancy Diehl, Michigan State
Ashlee Vilmo, Minnesota
Peta Leigh Daykins, Ohio State
Charlotte Goldstein, Ohio State
Maggie Galloway, Wisconsin
Big Ten Sportsmanship Honorees
Sarah Tinsley, Indiana
Hannah Miller, Iowa
Taylor Day, Michigan
Ashley Wenneman, Michigan State
Tina Cho, Minnesota
Mandy Merritt, Ohio State
Brittany Renault, Wisconsin
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Mark Rothstein
On finishing second as a team at the Big Ten Championships... "We always want to win. I thought we faced some great racing today. Michigan State raced very well this afternoon. We would have liked to row a little better, but I think the best team won today."
On the first varsity eight's effort today... "I think we need to be in a better mental place when we go into the finals. I don't think our boats rowed their best this afternoon, so that's disappointing. That's something that we have two weeks to correct."
On having two weeks to work out prior to Central/South Region Sprints... "I'd love to have two months. But it's two weeks and we'll move forward to improve and get faster and that's what I expect us to do."
Michigan Lineups
First Varsity Eight -- Laura Dunn (coxswain), Melisa Ongun, Ashley Kroll, Adrienne Mecham, Karen Colwell, Cristina Felix, Emily Eiffert, Felice Mueller, Caitlin Trumble.
Second Varsity Eight -- Erica Macke (coxswain), Liz McCannell, Maggie Cooper, Natalie Eisermann, Sarah Gribler, Kari Stenbakken, Casey Timmons, Jordan Peek, Ashley Jones.
First Varsity Four -- Margaret Deinek (coxswain), Michela Musto, Suzanne Maddamma, Brittany Poston, Julia Nelson.
Second Varsity Four -- Jennifer Entin (coxswain), Nellie Ruedig, Rachel Fullmer, Kristen Henkels, Maureen Kelly.
First Novice Eight -- Sarah Adams (coxswain), Ariel Piotter, Olivia Klipa, Jeanise Dobski, Julia Darnton, Nicole Dressler, Jill Szydloski, Lindsey Healy, Sarah Kempa.
Second Novice Eight -- Abby Landis (coxswain), Nikki Braverman, Emily Smalligan, Paige Heil, Allie Styke, Jessica Brouwer, April Newberry, Kelly Bradford, Julia Sittig.
Players Mentioned
