March 15, 2004
IOWA CITY – THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa rowing team will open the 2004 spring season at the Fourth Annual Longhorn Invitational in Austin, TX. The meet will run from Friday through Sunday.
THE COMPETITION: The Hawkeyes will be competing against the same field that made up last year’s Longhorn Invitational, Kansas State, Duke, Tulsa and Texas.
FALL RECAP: In the final competition of the fall season, Iowa hosted the 15th annual Head of the Iowa and claimed five medals. In the Women’s Open 8+, Iowa A finished second, while Iowa B came in ninth. Iowa took third and sixth in the Women’s Open 4+. The Hawkeyes also claimed all three medals in the Women’s Open 2-. Iowa A, comprised of Manijak and Nikki Stob, were crowned champions. Iowa B took home a silver medal, while Iowa D came received a bronze medal. In the novice events, Iowa A finished fourth in the Women’s Novice 4+.
HEAD COACH: Mandi Kowal is in her tenth year as head coach of the Hawkeyes. Her most recent accomplishments include leading Iowa to the NCAA Championship meet three of the past seven years. Kowal was a two-time rowing World Champion in the Women’s Lightweight Four without coxswain in 1986 and 1987. She was named “Female Athlete of the Year” in 1987 by the US Rowing Association and was inducted into the United States Rowing Hall of Fame in 1997.
ASSISTANT COACHES: Wendy Wisehart is in her sixth season as assistant coach for the Hawkeyes, while Laura Macfarlane is in her second year with the Hawkeyes. Wisehart is responsible for the Novice squad and is the Recruiting Coordinator for the program. Before returning to Iowa, Wisehart served as the head rowing coach at New York University (1996-1998). A former Hawkeye rower, Wisehart was a member of the 1992 Iowa Lightweight Four National Championship team. Before coming to Iowa, Macfarlane was the novice coach at Wisconsin (2001-2002) and an assistant rowing coach at Sacramento State (2000-2001). As a former Wisconsin rower, Macfarlane won three Midwest Rowing Championship titles, an IRA title and medalled twice at the Eastern Sprints in 1996 and 1997.