Michigan Showcases Depth in Spring Debut at Oak Ridge Invite

Saturday, March 12

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

9:00 AM

Michigan

Cardinal Invitational (Morning)

Michigan Showcases Depth in Spring Debut at Oak Ridge Invite

3/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Rowing

March 13, 2016

Rowing

Site: Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Melton Hill Lake)
Event: Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sat., March 25-26 -- vs. Michigan State, vs. Indiana - ex. (Belleville Lake)

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. -- The 11th-ranked University of Michigan rowing team opened its spring season this weekend (Sat-Sun., March 12-13) at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational with a strong showing against a deep field, winning nine of 12 races over the course of the two-day competition on Melton Hill Lake.

"I was really happy with how our crews performed this weekend, said head coach Mark Rothstein. "It was really good racing, really good competition and I'm very pleased where we are to start the season.

Competing in three different sessions on Saturday (morning and afternoon) and Sunday (morning), the Wolverines sent four varsity crews to Melton Hill Lake (1V8, 2V8, 1V4, 2V4), with each crew competing in each session.

With calm conditions prevailing on Saturday morning, the Wolverines were grouped with No. 4 Virginia, Central Florida and Clemson. The first race of the morning session featured the first varsity eight crews.

Michigan and Virginia separated themselves from the field, with the Wolverines (6:23.71) finishing just two seats behind UVA (6:22.99) for second place in one of the most exciting races of the competition.

The Wolverines' 1V4 crew won its morning race in 7:13:37, with an open water margin ahead of Virginia, while the 2V8 (6:25.9) and 2V4 crews (7:18.2) took second place finishes.

"Both the varsity eight and the second varsity eight were really good races, Rothstein said. "Both were a couple seat margin of victories. Obviously, we want to win those races, but at this stage we look at where we're starting from and go from there. It was really good to be close to (Virginia) in those two events and then beat them in the four.

In the afternoon session with a current aiding all crews, Michigan competed against No. 20 Louisville, West Virginia and Central Florida. The Wolverines swept all four afternoon races, with convincing wins in the 1V8 (6:15:9), 1V4 (7:04.4), 2V8 (6:20.8) and 2V4 (7:06.8).

On Sunday morning, Michigan raced against No. 17 Notre Dame and Kansas, with the Wolverines again sweeping all four boat classes. Michigan's 1V8 (6:25.3), 1V4 (7:18.9), 2V8 (6:33.8), and 2V4 (7:22.5) all earned decisive wins.

LINEUPS

Varsity Eight Crews

1V8
Francesca Derteano (coxswain), Kaitlin Wright, Kendall Brewer, Laura Foster, Tessa Yurko, Rachel Fanning, Shayla Lamb, Lexie Beemer, Caroline Hendershot

2V8
Emma Knorps (coxswain), Rebecca Joyce, Sarah Hudnall, Abby Vare, Karla McDaniel, Adena Coste, Louisa Freeman, Felicity Cain, Meghan Gutknecht

Varsity Four Crews

1V4
Nadia Roohparvar (coxswain), Kalia Krichko, Susie Stevens, Kinsey Vear, Rae Oleshansky

2V4
Olivia Chapman (coxswain), Mallory Jamett, Kara Puidokas, Kathryn Grotto, Grace Gagliardi

Tweet of the Weekend