Hawkeyes Return to George Washington Invitational

April 3, 2007

THIS WEEK: The University of Iowa women’s rowing team will travel to Washington D.C. to take part in the George Washington Invitational. The 2,000-meter course travels down the historical Potomac River.

MINNESOTA, CREIGHTON, DRAKE: The first event on the day was the varsity eight. No. 10 Minnesota took first place finishing in a time of 6:35.98. Iowa followed close behind finishing at 6:52.56. In the second varsity eight race Minnesota (6:47.70) and Iowa (7:06.17) battled again taking first and second respectively. The last event in varsity action was the varsity fours. Iowa placed third in this event behind Minnesota A (1st, 7:36.17) and Minnesota B (2nd, 7:46.52).

In novice action Iowa (7:14.21) finished second in the 2N8+ just seconds behind Minnesota (7:12.40). Taking the fourth second place finish for the day, Iowa’s (7:04.87) novice eight boat finished just behind Minnesota (7:03.50).

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.