Weekly Release #9

5/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Rowing

Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., May 30-June 1 -- at NCAA Championships (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Michigan This Week
The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan women's rowing team will be seeking its first team national title when it travels to the NCAA Championships Friday through Sunday (May 30-June 1) in Indianapolis, Ind. This marks the sixth consecutive year that the Wolverines have earned a bid for the national championships in the program's seven-year history. U-M's first varsity eight, second varsity eight and first varsity four crews will be competing for individual boat championships and the team crown throughout the three-day event. The races will take place on Eagle Creek Reservoir.

Friday, May 30
I Varsity Eight	8:00 a.m.	Heat 1
	8:15 a.m.	Heat 2
	8:30 a.m.	Heat 3
II Varsity Eight	10:00 a.m.	Heat 1
	10:15 a.m.	Heat 2
I Varsity Four	11:00 a.m.	Heat 1
	11:15 a.m.	Heat 2
I Varsity Eight	4:00 p.m.	Repechage
Saturday, May 31
I Varsity Four	9:30 a.m.	Repechage
	9:45 a.m.	Repechage
II Varsity Eight	10:00 a.m.	Repechage
	10:15 a.m.	Repechage
I Varsity Eight	10:30 a.m.	Semifinal
I Varsity Eight	10:45 a.m.	Semifinal
	11:00 a.m.	(Places 13-16)
Sunday, June 1
I Varsity Four	9:45 a.m.	Petite Final
	10:00 a.m.	Grand Final
II Varsity Eight	11:00 a.m.	Petite Final
	11:15 a.m.	Grand Final
I Varsity Eight	11:45 a.m.	Petite Final
	Noon	Grand Final
Awards Ceremony	12:45

Live Results
Indiana University and the United States Rowing Association (USRowing) are the co-hosts for the NCAA Championships for the second straight year. For ticket information, call the University of Indiana ticket office at 866-IUSPORTS (866-487-7678). Live results will be posted throughout the regatta at www.iuhoosiers.com.

Welcome to the Big Show
The NCAA Championships field is comprised of 12 teams that are ranked in the top 16 nationally by USRowing. This year's crop includes Brown, California, Harvard, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Princeton, Stanford, Virginia, Washington, Washington State and Yale. Additionally, Boston University, Southern California, Tennessee and Texas are invited to compete solely in the first varsity eight races to expand the number of boats in the first varsity eight competition to 16.

Forecast
The long-range forecast for Indianapolis has the temperatures in the upper 70's throughout the weekend with low winds and a minimal chance of rain.

Championship Format
The NCAA Championships award a team title based on points earned by each team's boats, and boats can earn individual national championships in their respective categories: first varsity eight, second varsity eight and first varsity four. The schools that have only first varsity eight crews are not eligible for the team national championship.

The advancement formula for the first varsity eight begins in the three heats. The top three boats in each heat advance directly to one of the two semifinals. The remaining seven boats from all three heats then race in the repechage. The top three crews in the repechage then advance to fill the remaining spots in the semifinals. The four boats that do not make it out of the repechage have one final race for places 13-16. In the semifinals, the top three boats from each race advance to the grand final for places 1-6. The bottom three boats from each semifinal move to the petite final for places 7-12.

For the second varsity eight and first varsity four races there are two heats. The top boat from each heat advances directly to the grand final. The remaining boats compete in one of two repechages with the top two finishing boats advancing to the grand finals. The boats not advancing to the grand final are relegated to the petite final. See the chart below for the point break down determined by each boat's final finish.

Place-Points

Race	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
IV8	36	33	30	27	24	21	18	15	12	9	6	3
IIV8	24	22	20	18	16	14	12	10	8	6	4	2
IV4	12	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

Who's Coming with Me
The selection of teams for the NCAA Championships is determined by taking into account a large number of criteria. The selection of teams and individual boats was based on eligibility and availability of student-athletes; regional championship results; regional rankings; late-season performance; head-to-head results; results against teams/boats already selected; results against common opponents and results against regionally ranked teams/boats. One team from each of the five regions was selected and the remaining seven teams were selected at large.

Been There, Done That
The Wolverines have a wealth of NCAA Championships experience, with 14 out of 23 athletes having competed for the national title prior to 2003. Leading the way are seniors Helen Dalis (Augusta, Ga./Davidson Fine Arts) and Kate Maxim (St. Helena, S.C./Langley HS). Dalis, a coxswain, and Maxim have competed in the NCAA Championships in all three of their previous seasons, including the last two in the first varsity eight boat. Erin Kopicki (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child HS), Crystal Culp (Fonthill, Ont./E.L. Crossley SS), Leah Ketcheson (Belleville, Ont./Bayside SS) and Katie Reynolds (Saint John, New Brunswick/Saint John SS) were all part of U-M's first varsity boat for the 2002 NCAA Championships. Reynolds was a member of the second varsity eight crew in 2001 that earned an individual national title for the Maize and Blue. Also in the first eight boat are Brett Sickler (Los Gatos, Calif./Los Gatos HS) and Heather Mandoli (Kelowna, British Columbia/K.L.O SS), who rowed in Michigan's second varsity eight boat at the NCAA Championships last year. In 2001, Mandoli, Kopicki and current second varsity eight rower Christina Ceo (Saline, Mich./Saline HS) were members of the first varsity four boat that earned second place at the NCAA Championships.

Head Coach Mark Rothstein
Mark Rothstein is in his seventh year as the head coach of the Michigan rowing team. Rothstein, the only head coach in the program's history, has guided the Maize and Blue to the NCAA Championships for the sixth straight season. At the 2001 NCAA Rowing Championships, U-M had a school-best second-place finish, highlighted by a national boat title by the second varsity eight. He has led the team to three of the four Big Ten Conference championships (2000, '01, '03). In 2000 and 2001 he was named the Big Ten and Central Region Coach of the Year. For his efforts during the 2001 season, he was selected as the National Coach of the Year.

Last Year at the NCAA Championships
Appearing in their fifth straight NCAA Championships, the Wolverines of 2002 took home an eighth-place finish. The first varsity eight finished in ninth place after it was unable to qualify for its grand final. The second varsity eight and first varsity four boats, which did qualify for their respective grand finals, ended up with fifth- and fourth-place finishes, respectively.

Last Week at the Central Region Sprints
Michigan's first day (May 17) at the Central Region Sprints was highly successful as all five boats advanced to the grand finals of their respective events. Highlighting the day were two wins each by the first varsity eight and the first varsity four to extend their winning streaks to nine races. During the second day of competition (May 18) U-M was unable to earn a first-place finish in any of its finals and subsequently relinquished the Central Region title to Ohio State after winning the five previous titles. The first varsity eight fell behind Virginia and Ohio State in its race and could not make up the deficit, following the second-place Buckeyes by 1.5 seconds. Michigan's best finish of the day came from the second varsity eight, which overcame two teams down the stretch to gain second place behind Michigan State. The first varsity four made a strong bid to extend its winning streak but was beaten by OSU by one seat. The second varsity four finished in fourth place and the novice eight came in sixth as Michigan ended the day with 67 points, behind Ohio State's 76.

Hail to the Victors!
Michigan brought home its third Big Ten Conference championship in four years on May 3 in Columbus, Ohio. The 2003 title was as close as it could get with Michigan and Michigan State tying with 123 team points at the end of the day. The Wolverines were awarded first place, however, because their first varsity eight boat won the flagship event. After finishing no better than fifth place in the two novice races and the second varsity four competition, the Maize and Blue earned some much needed points when the first varsity four hit the finish line just 1.8 seconds ahead of second-place Iowa. Then, a first-place finish by the Spartans and a third-place finish by U-M in the second varsity eight final created a situation where Michigan had to finish at least two places better that MSU in the first varsity eight final. Michigan's first eight pulled away from the competition and won the Grand Final by just over a boat length and Ohio State gave U-M help by beating MSU by 0.7 seconds to give the Wolverines the necessary points to tie the Spartans and gain the tiebreaker.

All-Big Ten
For their efforts at the Big Ten Championships, five Michigan rowers were named to the All-Big Ten teams. Erin Kopicki, Kate Maxim, and Helen Dalis were selected as All-Big Ten first team members. Heather Mandoli and Katie Reynolds (Saint John, New Brunswick/Saint John SS) were a part of the All-Big Ten second team.

Kopicki Named Big Ten Rower of the Year
Erin Kopicki, a senior who sits in the stroke seat of the first varsity eight boat, was elected as the Big Ten Conference Rower of the Year for 2003 on May 7. The accolade was determined by the Big Ten coaches. A Michigan athlete has been selected as the Big Ten Conference Rower of the Year three out of the four years that the league has sponsored rowing. In 2000 and 2001, Kate Johnson was given the laurel.

Michigan Earns Three Awards
Michigan's first varsity eight compiled three consecutive Big Ten Boat of the Week awards, a school record, to finish off its 2003 regular season. On April 6, the Wolverines defeated No. 10 Michigan State 6:32.37 to 6:36.17 to earn their first weekly award of the year. The following week on April 12, the first eight swept then No. 10 Virginia (6:21.7 to 6:26.8) and Duke (6:21.2 to 6:33.8) as it earned co-Boat of the Week with Ohio State's first varsity eight. Lastly, the varsity eight upended Indiana (6:44.92 to 6:59.03) and No. 11 Ohio State (6:26.59 to 6:35.91) on April 19 to share the weekly laurels with Michigan State's first varsity eight.

Head of the Class
Sixteen Michigan rowers earned a Michigan Athletics Academic Achievement Award on April 14. The honor was given to student-athletes who had either a 3.0 cumulative GPA or two consecutive semesters with at least a 3.0 GPA. The honored athletes included: Julia Boyles (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS), Emke Bury (Gross Ile, Mich./Gross Ile HS), Stesha Carl (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson HS), Christina Ceo, Amy Coughlin (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Mott HS), Helen Dalis, Laura Drongowski (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman HS), Emily Goodwin (Edgewater, Md./Forest Hills Central HS, Mich.), Leah Ketcheson, Erin Kopicki, Kate Maxim, Cristin McCarty (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Bishop James Mahoney SS), Christen Plunkett (Pittsford, Mich./Pittsford HS), Stephanie Shapiro (Pittsburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice HS), Brett Sickler and Hillary Van Duyne (Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth HS).

Probable Lineups

First Varsity Eight coxswain: Helen Dalis 8-seat: Erin Kopicki 7-seat: Crystal Culp 6-seat: Stesha Carl 5-seat: Heather Mandoli 4-seat: Leah Ketcheson 3-seat: Brett Sickler 2-seat: Kate Maxim 1-seat: Katie Reynolds Second Varsity Eight coxswain: Tara Medina 8-seat: Sarah Trowbridge 7-seat: Emily Goodwin 6-seat: Christin Plunkett 5-seat: Heather DeHainaut 4-seat: Laura Drongowski 3-seat: Elizabeth Godek 2-seat: Emke Bury 1-seat: Christina Ceo First Varsity Four coxswain: Louisa DiLeone 4-seat: Stephanie Shapiro 3-seat: Elizabeth Kreger 2-seat: Janine Hanson 1-seat: Amy Coughlin