U-M Shows Speed During First Day at Big Ten Invitational

Friday, April 7

Sarasota, Fla.

8:30 AM

Michigan

Big Ten Invitational (Morning)

(Michigan Photography)

U-M Shows Speed During First Day at Big Ten Invitational

4/7/2023 7:00:00 PM | Rowing

Photo Gallery

By: Chad Shepard

Site: Sarasota, Fla. (Nathan Benderson Park)
Event: Big Ten Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
First Varsity Eight Finish: 6:23.920 (2nd of 4), 6:21.374 (1st of 4)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 8 -- at Big Ten Invitational - Day Two (Sarasota, Fla.), 8:30 a.m.

• Photo Gallery

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan rowing program showed speed in the sunshine during the first day of racing at the Big Ten Invitational on Friday (April 7). Racing at Nathan Benderson Park, the Wolverines enjoyed one of the country's premier venues and got better as the day went on, picking up three wins in the afternoon session after a morning that included several close second-place finishes.

Conditions were hot but clear, with temperatures reaching the mid-80s by the end of the first session of races. Rowing primarily against No. 2 Stanford, No. 13 SMU and No. 20 Indiana in the morning, U-M's 1V8 and 1N8 boats managed to finish in second place. In the afternoon, U-M bounced back with wins in the 1V8, 2V8 and 1N8 races, competing primarily against No. 11 Duke, Iowa, and UCLA.

The 1V8's morning efforts led to a showing of second place after crossing 4.662 seconds behind the winning boat from Stanford. U-M did well to hold off a strong push from the SMU boat and hang tight with one of the nation's top eights.

The 1N8 also came in second behind the Cardinal (+5.906). The Wolverines' 2V8 led the morning off and placed third in its heat at 6:33.537 behind Stanford and SMU. Each of the three varsity fours and the 2N8 finished in third in their respective heats.

In the afternoon set of races, the 2V8 set the pace for Michigan with a victory in the first event, the first of three race wins on the afternoon for the Maize and Blue. U-M and Duke set the pace in the early going and the Wolverines added to their lead over the course of the race, stretching in the third 500 before winning with a 4.976-second margin of victory.

The Wolverines 1V8 followed a similar path, but earned an even larger win. U-M had built a lead of more than three seconds on Duke through the 750-meter mark and kept pushing through the finish line for an open-water win of 5.726 seconds on the Blue Devils. The Wolverines' time in the afternoon was 6:21.378.

The 2V4 was unable to hold on to the top pace but kept close to the winner, Duke, and placed second +5.904 behind the Blue Devils. In the 1V4 race, UCLA had the fastest first 500 meters, but Duke soon passed them and won with open water. U-M worked and moved through the Bruins for second place behind Duke. The 3V4 placed second behind the Buckeyes, ahead of Big Ten foes Michigan State and Wisconsin.

The U-M 2N8 was in a close race with the Buckeyes, but OSU pulled away over the final 500 meters, crossing 4.773 seconds ahead of the Wolverine eight. In the 1N race, the Wolverines closed the day with another strong effort and a win of 7.928 seconds over Duke.

U-M is back at Natahan Benderson Park for Saturday's (April 8) second day of racing. The first race of the morning is the 2V8 at 8:30, followed immediately by the 1V8. The Wolverines will primarily race No. 2 Stanford, No. 6 Brown, and No. 11 Ohio State.

Results

Morning Session
First Varsity Eight
1. Stanford -- 6:19.258
2. MICHIGAN -- 6:23.920
3. SMU -- 6:25.372
4. Indiana -- 6:35.7

Second Varsity Eight
1. Stanford -- 6:28.556
2. SMU -- 6:31.456
3. MICHIGAN -- 6:33.537
4. Indiana -- 6:44.503

First Varsity Four
1. Stanford -- 7:02.860
2. SMU -- 7:09.717
3. MICHIGAN -- 7:15.080
4. Indiana -- 7:19.347

Second Varsity Four
1. SMU -- 7:18.561
2. Indiana -- 7:23.929
3. MICHIGAN -- 7:28.731

Third Varsity Four
1. Iowa -- 7:26.609
2. Wisconsin -- 7:30.157
3. MICHIGAN -- 7:35.553
4. Indiana -- 7:43.137

First Novice Eight
1. Stanford -- 6:25.956
2. MICHIGAN -- 6:31.862
3. Indiana -- 6:50.803

Second Novice Eight
1. Indiana -- 7:08.366
2. Wisconsin -- 7:16.968
3. MICHIGAN -- 7:20.074
4. Iowa -- 7:30.934

Afternoon Session
First Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:21.374
2. Duke -- 6:27.1
3. Iowa -- 6:31.486
4. UCLA -- 6:38.266

Second Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:29.248
2. Duke -- 6:34.226
3. Iowa -- 6:45.691
4. UCLA -- 6:51.456

First Varsity Four
1. Duke -- 7:13.230
2. MICHIGAN -- 7:21.221
3. UCLA -- 7:24.780
4. Iowa -- 7:25.937

Second Varsity Four
1. Duke -- 7:24.682
2. MICHIGAN -- 7:29.776
3. Iowa -- 7:35.219
4. UCLA -- 7:36.361