Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Hawk Talk Monthly — May 2018 | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch – 2017-18 | Big Ten Championships Notes
THIS WEEK
The No. 8 University of Iowa women’s rowing team travels to Indianapolis to compete at the 2018 Big Ten Rowing Championships on Sunday at Eagle Creek Park. The first race of the day begins at 8 a.m. (CT). The awards ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE
Complete championships information including race results, seeds and updates can be found at bigten.org, and on Twitter @BigTenChamps. Follow @iowarowing on Twitter for results and lineups.
TELEVISION COVERAGE
BTN will debut the Big Ten Rowing Championships on Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. (CT).
RACE FORMAT
The Big Ten Championships features eight races with seven different boats from eight different Big Ten schools. Each race is a “Finals” event.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
| Boat | Time (CT) |
| II Novice Eights | 8 a.m. |
| I Novice Eights | 8:20 a.m. |
| III Varsity Fours | 8:40 a.m. |
| II Varsity Fours | 9 a.m. |
| I Varsity Fours | 9:20 a.m. |
| II Varsity Eights | 9:40 a.m. |
| I Varsity Eights | 10 a.m. |
| Awards Ceremony | 11:30 a.m. |
IN THE RANKINGS
The University of Iowa women’s rowing team is ranked No. 8 in the May 9 USRowing/CRCA Coaches’ Poll. The Hawkeyes debuted at No. 17 in the USRowing/CRCA Coaches’ Poll on March 28 and steadily climbed to No. 11 in the April 4 and April 11 polls, which matched the highest ranking in program history. That record was broken April 18, when Iowa climbed to No. 7 following five straight wins by the I Varsity Eight over No. 12 USC (April 1), No. 18 Michigan State and No. 6 Michigan (April 7), and No. 4 Princeton, and No. 6 Yale (April 14).
B1G BOAT OF THE WEEK
The I Varsity 8 boat earned consecutive Big Ten Boat of the Week honors following four straight wins against Michigan, Michigan State, Princeton, and Yale. Iowa swept No. 18 Michigan State and No. 6 Michigan on April 7, and swept No. 4 Princeton and No. 6 Yale on April 14. All four boats were nationally ranked.
It marked the first time in program history that Iowa has earned back-to-back conference honors, and is the 10th and 11th honor overall honor.
Iowa’s I Varsity Eight boat is comprised of Ashley Duda, Izzy Dolba, Kaelynn Heiberg, Hannah Greenlee, Hunter Koenigsfeld, Contessa Harold, Katie Pearson, Eve Stewart, and Logan Jones (coxswain).
TOP SEEDED IOWA
The Hawkeyes’ I Varstiy Eight is ranked No. 1 in the Central Region and heads into the conference championships as the top seed. Iowa has wins this season over then-No. 4 Princeton, No. 6 Yale, No. 6 Michigan, No. 9 Virginia, No. 12 USC, and No. 18 Michigan State.
Michigan is seeded No. 3 in the I Varsity Eight, one spot behind Ohio State and two spots behind Iowa. The Buckeyes, Wolverines, and Hawkeyes are also seeded 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in the II Varsity Eight race.
Iowa seeds and lane assignments:
I Varsity Eight: Seed #1 (lane 4)
II Varsity Eight: Seed #3 (lane 3)
I Varsity Four: Seed #5 (lane 2)
II Varsity Four: Seed #5 (lane 2)
I Novice Eight: Seed #6 (lane 7)
II Novice Eight: Seed #6 (lane 7)
III Varsity Four: Seed #5 (lane 6)
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Ohio State (No. 4) and Michigan (No. 6) are the only conference schools ranked ahead of Iowa. Wisconsin and Indiana are ranked 13th and 14th, respectively, and Michigan State is ranked No. 25. Minnesota, and Rutgers are receiving votes. The Buckeyes have won the last five Big Ten Championships.
ONE STEP AT A TIME
The Hawkeyes have improved one spot in the standings in each of Andrew Carter’s four years at the Big Ten Championships. In his first season as Iowa’s head coach, Carter and the Hawkeyes placed seventh with 39 points. In 2015, Iowa moved up one spot to sixth with 79 points. In 2016, the Hawkeyes placed fifth with 95 points, and in 2017, the team set a school record with 106 points, tying for fourth place, the highest placement in school history.
The Hawkeyes’ Big Ten Conference Championships performance led to the second NCAA Championships berth in school history. Iowa’s only other NCAA Rowing appearance was in 2001.
RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE
The Hawkeyes scored a school-record 106 points to tie for fourth place, the best in program history, at the 2017 Big Ten Championships. Cristy Hartman and Ashley Duda were named to the All-Big Ten first and second teams, respectively.
Duda is back in the I Varsity Eight boat for her senior season. Izzy Dolba, Kaelynn Heiberg, and Eve Stewart also return from last years’s Big Ten Championships I Varsity Eight boat.
UP NEXT
The NCAA announces the postseason field on Tuesday, May 15 at 4 p.m. (CT). The NCAA selection show is streamed at NCAA.com. The Hawkeyes will host a watch party at the Feller Club Room inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
