May 13, 2014
- Read the May issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone/ipad app!
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
- Download your Hawk Talk Monthly iOS app
- Download your Hawk Talk Monthly android app
REGATTA SUMMARY: The University of Iowa women’s rowing team begins postseason action at the Big Ten Championships on May 18 at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. Races in the seven-lane, finals-only regatta are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. (CT).
FOLLOW ALONG: Fans can follow along with live results at www.bigten.org and receive live updates by following @bigtenchamps on Twitter.
AN ELITE HONOR: Freshman Morgan Grastorf has been invited to attend the 2014 USRowing Women’s Pre-Elite Camp in Princeton, New Jersey on June 8-22. Grastorf, a Naperville, Illinois native and first-year rower, is one of eight freshmen and one of 16 student-athletes selected to participate in the camp. The camp grooms up-and-coming rowers for the national teams and is a great honor in the rowing realm. Grastorf has found success as a first-year rower with the Hawkeyes as she has competed in every regatta this spring for the 1V8+ crew.
IOWA SWEEPS TENNESSEE: In their regular season finale, the Hawkeyes defeated Tennessee in all five events of the regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on May 3.
Iowa began the regatta with a win in the 1V8+, beating Tennessee by four seconds in 6:47.50. The 2V8+ boat followed with another Iowa victory with a 7:39.00 effort, edging out Tennessee by two seconds for the event title.
The Hawkeyes won their third event in a row as the 1V4+ boat crossed with a time of 7:39.00, four seconds ahead of Tennessee (7:53.60). The 2V4+ boat contributed another dominant performance with a 35-second win over Tennessee (8:28.10) in 7:53.70. Iowa completed its sweep of the Lady Vols with a 24.5 second 1N8+ victory.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2013 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS: Iowa placed sixth at the 2013 Big Ten Championships with 54 team points. Eventual NCAA champion Ohio State claimed the team title with 160 points, followed by Michigan (135), Wisconsin (134), Michigan State (85), Minnesota (72), Iowa (54), and Indiana (28).
Iowa’s 3V4+ boat finished third with a time of 8:03.577, while the 2V4+ boat placed fourth with a time of 7:52.281. The 1V4+ boat took fifth in a time of 7:45.958.
HAWKEYES RECEIVE VOTES: The Hawkeyes are receiving votes (2) for the fourth week in a row in the CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll. Five Big Ten teams — Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan State — are currently ranked in the top 20. Defending NCAA Champion Ohio State is ranked second nationally, while Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan State are ranked ninth, 13th, 15th, and 20th, respectively.
HAWKEYES WIN TWO: The Hawkeye 1V4+ and 2V4+ boats finished the Clemson Invitational with back-to-back first place finishes in times of 8:01.40 and 8:05.40, respectively. The 1V4+ boat beat Duke by six seconds (8:07.60) and the 2V4+ boat defeated Michigan State by four seconds (8:09.80).
The Hawkeyes had another top-three finish as they placed third in the 2V8+ race in 7:10.80, four seconds ahead of Oklahoma (7:14.80). Louisville finished first in 7:04.40, while Dartmouth took second in 7:10.50, barely edging out the Hawkeyes.
Iowa upset No. 12 Washington State (8:07.50) by a second in the 3V8+ race as they finished fifth in 8:06.60 and beat Texas by seven seconds (8:13.10). The Hawkeyes concluded the invite with a fifth place finish in the 1V4+ race in 8:41.30 ahead of No. 20 Indiana (8:51.00) and Dartmouth (8:55.70).
A STRONG START: In their season-opening regatta at Clemson on March 22, the Hawkeyes finished ahead of then-ranked No. 20 Duke in two of three NCAA events. The Iowa 2V8+ boat finished runner-up with a time of 6:56.42 after being edged out by No. 18 Clemson (6.56.00) by less than one second.
The 1V4+ event was also a close race. The Tigers won the event (7:37.80), edging out the Hawkeyes (7.38.70). Iowa also placed second in the 1N/3V8+ with a time of 7:18.02 and third in the 1V8+ race with a 6:55.18 effort in its season-opener.
COMPETING AGAINST THE BEST: The Hawkeyes have competed against numerous ranked opponents this season including No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Washington, No. 6 USC, No. 10 UCLA, No. 13 Harvard, No. 14 Washington State, No. 15 Wisconsin, No. 17 Louisville, No. 18 Clemson, No. 18 Syracuse, and No. 20 Duke.
Iowa’s 2V4+ boat defeated both Clemson and Duke on March 22 at Clemson. The Hawkeyes also upset Washington State in the 3V8+ race at the Clemson Invite on April 19.
CREW CLASSIC RECAP: The Hawkeyes competed at the 41st annual San Diego Crew Classic, April 5-6. On Saturday, Iowa’s 1V4+ boat posted a season-best time of 7:35.63 as it placed third in Group B of its respective race.
The Hawkeyes’ 2V8+ boat also recorded a season-best time as they finished third in their race in 6:50.56. In Group B of the Women’s Collegiate Cal. Cup, the Hawkeyes’ 1V8+ boat took the runner-up spot with a time of 7:02.40.
On Sunday, Iowa’s 2V8+ boat showed a strong performance, finishing runner-up in the 2V8+ petite finals (6:53.38).
2V4+ EARNS WEEKLY HONOR: Iowa’s 2V4+ boat was honored as the Big Ten Boat of the Week on March 25 after winning is race at Clemson. Junior Rachel Crosley, freshman Kasia Gniatczyk, freshman Bec Clayton, sophomore Skylar McSorley and sophomore coxswain Rachel Chambers competed for Iowa in the 2V4+ boat. The group placed first with a 7:40.600 effort, beating runner-up Kansas by nearly 12 seconds (7:52.500). Duke (7:56.570), Clemson A (7:57.660) and Clemson B (8:39.440) rounded out the event placing third, fourth and fifth, respectively. It is Iowa’s first Big Ten Boat of the Week honor since April 15, 2008.
WATSON FEATURED: Junior Gabrielle Watson has been featured as one of 24 Hawkeyes to Watch. The feature highlights one student-athlete from each of the 24 intercollegiate sports at the University of Iowa. Fans can read student-athlete’s stories and watch their interviews at hawkeyesports.com.
NEW HAWKEYE IN CHARGE: Andrew Carter was named the third head coach of the University of Iowa rowing program in July 2013. This season marks his 12th year overall as a collegiate rowing coach. He previously spent time at the University of Miami (2009-13), Clemson University (2008-09), Bathes College in Lewiston, Maine (2000-08), University of Southern California (1999-00), and Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York (1996-99).
During his career, Carter has earned more than 50 championship medals, and over the last 12 years, he has coached seven All-Americans and 24 National Scholar-Athletes. He turned Miami into a nationally-ranked program, and led Clemson to its first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference title and NCAA Championship appearance.
Carter is a U.S. Rowing Level III Coach and a Rowing Canada Aviron Level IV Coach, as well as a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Master Instructor and Master Coach Evaluator.
Carter earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology-biomechanics from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a master’s degree in kinesiology-biomechanics from the University of Western Ontario. He resides in Iowa City with his wife, Kim, and son, Mason.