March 12, 2007
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THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa women’s rowing team will open its spring season at the Longhorn Invitational. Competition will take place in Austin, TX, Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and Sunday.
LONGHORN INVITATIONAL: The three day event hosts six teams and features both varsity and novice races. Iowa will race against boats from Texas, Miami, Kansas State, Duke and Central Florida. Earlier this year Iowa met Duke in varsity action at the Head of the Charles and Kansas State in the Head of Iowa. Duke egded the Hawkeyes (18th,16:50.393) finishing just three seconds ahead of the Hawkeyes, placing 16th (16:47.215) in the women’s championships eights. At the Head of Iowa, Kansas State was not far behind the Iowa boat. Iowa’s 2V8+ finished the course in a time of 15:08.72, while the Wildcats from Kansas State finished tenth with a time of 15:17.59.
HEAD OF IOWA: Making a strong showing at their own Head of Iowa, the Hawkeyes competed in both novice and varsity action. Iowa had three boats compete in the novice eight, Iowa A (3rd, 15:23.16), Iowa B (5th, 15:35.45), and Iowa C (8th, 15:48.34). Competing in the novice four, Iowa placed 16th posting a time of 19:07.09. The varsity team participated in several different events including singles, pairs, fours, and eights. Top finishers in each event for the Hawkeyes included: senior Jennifer Stachera (5th, 20:11.99) in the open singles, Iowa B placed second (12:34.9) in the open pairs, Iowa A (3rd, 15:53.41) in the open fours and Iowa A (2nd,14:44.64) in the open eights.
HEAD COACH: Mandi Kowal is in her 13th 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.
QUOTING COACH KOWAL: “We have been preparing for the season to get started for some time. The team is extremely excited for our Spring Break trip to sharpen their skills and start the racing season. I have been pleased with the team’s focus and determination in the past two months and I know it will pay off when we take to the water once again.”
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