Hawkeyes Travel to Washington D.C.

April 7, 2004

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THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa rowing team will travel to Washington D.C. to compete in the George Washington Invitational Crew Classic. Competition is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (ET) on the Potomac River.

THE COMPETITION: The George Washington Invitational will feature rowing teams from St. Joseph’s, Tennessee, George Mason, Georgetown, Navy, Temple, USC and Virginia. According to the Women’s Rowing Collegiate Coaches’ Poll, Virginia’s Varsity Eight is ranked eighth, while USC’s Varsity Eight is 11th and Tennessee’s Varsity Eight is 14th.

LAST COMPETITION: On Sunday, April 4, the Hawkeyes won one of five races against Minnesota at Lake Macbride. Competition was scheduled for Saturday, April 3, but was postponed due to strong winds. The Varsity Four took first place with a time of 7:53.25, defeating two Minnesota boats, which finished in second and third place with times of 8:01.71 and 8:19.19. Iowa’s Varsity Eight was edged by Minnesota by less than two seconds, finishing in a time of 7:00.3 to Minnesota’s 6:58.6. The Second Varsity Eight also took second with a time of 7:18.53.

HEAD COACH: Mandi Kowal is in her 10th 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. 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.