Iowa To Continue Big Ten Racing

April 10, 2006

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THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa rowing team will travel to Madison, WI, to compete in a double dual Saturday against Michigan State and Michigan. The University of Wisconsin will host the double dual. All races will be held on Lake Wingra.

MICHIGAN CREW: The Wolverines are having a very successful spring season. They have faced several ranked crews, including Michigan State, Tennessee and USC. Michigan’s first varsity eight boat is ranked 10th in the latest CRCA/USRowing poll. That boat has defeated No. 17 Tennessee and No. 12 Michigan State. In last weekend’s competition in Columbus, OH, Michigan also defeated Tennessee in the second varsity eight .

MICHIGAN STATE CREW: The Spartan’s varsity eight boat is ranked 12th in the latest CRCA/USRowing poll. Most recently, they defeated No. 6 Virginia at the Rivanna Reservoir in Charlottesville, VA. Michigan State’s novice eight and varsity four also claimed victories that day. On March 29, their second varsity eight boat was named Big Ten Boat of the Week after defeating the first varsity eight boats from Michigan State and Indiana.

LAST TIME OUT: Last weekend, the Hawkeyes traveled to Seattle, WA, to race on Lake Washington. Iowa competed against ranked crews from Washington, Washington State and Oregon State. In the varsity eight, Iowa (7:05.6) was defeated by 11th-ranked Washington State, 10th-ranked Washington and 16th-ranked Oregon State. The Hawkeyes (7:22.6) also came in fourth in the junior varsity eight.

HEAD COACH: Mandi Kowal is in her 12th year as head coach of the Hawkeyes. In the 1997 and 1998 NCAA Rowing Championships, she coached the Varsity 4+ teams to fourth and eighth-places finishes, respectively. Kowal began her rowing career at the University of Wisconsin in 1981. She was a two-time rowing World Champion in the Women’s Lightweight 4- (1986-1987). 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.