UM Rowing In Final Preparations For 2008 Central and South Sprints

UM Rowing In Final Preparations For 2008 Central and South Sprints

May 15, 2008

CORAL GABLES, <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Fla.– The University of Miami rowing team is finishing its preparations for the 2008 Aramark Sprints/Central and South Region Championships, scheduled to take place Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 on Milton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

 

“Our team is excited to race the best teams in the Central and South Regions,” head coach Robbie Tenenbaum said. “We are looking to improve on our 17th-place finish from 2007.”

 

Racing will take place throughout the day Saturday with opening heats beginning at 9 a.m. and semifinals taking place during the afternoon.

 

The Open 4 race will start the competition at 9 a.m. when Miami goes up against teams from Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Ohio State and Notre Dame. Later in the morning, UM’s Varsity Four crew will go up against Clemson, Minnesota, Eastern Michigan and UCF at 10:10 a.m. shortly before the team’s 2nd Varsity Eight crew will battle UCF, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Iowa at 10:50 a.m.

 

Miami’s fourth race of the morning comes at 11:10 a.m. when the Hurricane Varsity Eight crew will face Kansas State, Wisconsin, Virginia and Clemson in its heat.

 

The top three boats from each heat of the 1st Varsity Eight, 2nd Varsity Eight and Varsity Four races advance into the A/B semifinals while the remainder of the field will be grouped in the C/D semifinal. In the Open 4 race, the top four advance into the A/B semifinal.

 

All finals will take place Sunday morning.

 

“This team has a tremendous amount of talent,” Tenenbaum added. “And we believe that we can race with anybody in the country.”

 

Division I women’s rowing programs are divided into five different regions by the NCAA which includes the South, Central, Mid-Atlantic, New England and West. The Central/South Region Championship is the only regatta in the NCAA with various programs competing from the Central and South regions comprised of squads from Florida in the South, to Virginia in the East, Nebraska in the West and Minnesota in the North, totaling 30 teams.

 

Following the completion of each regional, a selection committee will determine the field for the 12th Annual NCAA Championships, placing an emphasis on late-season results. The NCAA Championships, held May 30 – June 1 in Sacramento, Calif., will be comprised of 12 teams with each team required to field two boats of eight rowers and one boat of four rowers. In addition, four eight-women boats from institutions not represented in the team competition are also selected.

 

In 2007, Miami placed 17th out of 23 participating teams, finishing with 99 total points in the finals.

 

For a complete draws, times and scoring information, click here.

 

UM’s Boat Lineups

Open 4

Coxswain – Heather Hollembeak

Stroke – Alexa McCanick

3 – Liz Teel

2 – Megan James                   

Bow – Ally Hodgkins                    

 

Varsity 4

Coxswain – Ana Mantilla

Stroke – Julianne Parker

3 – Stacey Kerr

2 – Molly Thornton

Bow – Courtney Guy

 

2nd Varsity 8

Coxswain – Christina Crocco               

Stroke – Stephanie Parrish

7 – Marleena Eyre

6 – Caitlin Augustin

5 – Rachael Sporko

4 – Sarah Medland

3 – Hannah McKay

2 – Olivia Arkell

Bow – Tara Eddings

 

1st Varsity 8

Coxswain – Shira Kharrazi

Stroke – Louise Parry

7 – Laura Cordner

6 – Nicola Saner

5 – Bethany Krawec

4 – Kelly Amsler

3 – Emily Wingrove

2 – Monika Sajincic

Bow – Karalyn Van Aken