Weekly Release #4

Upcoming Schedule
Saturday, April 15 -- vs. Iowa, at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.)
Saturday, April 29 -- at Big Ten Conference Championships (Minneapolis, Minn.)

Michigan This Week
The No. 9-ranked Michigan women's rowing team travels to Madison, Wis., to conclude its regular season schedule with a double dual against Iowa and No. 15 Wisconsin on Saturday, April 15. U-M will oppose the Hawkeyes in the morning on Lake Wingra, which features an 1,850-meter course. The afternoon will feature racing against the Badgers.

Schedule of Events

Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin LT	Second Novice Eight	9 a.m.
Michigan, Iowa	First Novice Eight	9:30 a.m.
Michigan, Wisconsin LT	Second Varsity Four	10:00 a.m.
Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin	First Varsity Four	10:30 a.m.
Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin LT	Second Varsity Eight	10:45 a.m.
Michigan, Iowa	First Varsity Eight	11:15 a.m.

Michigan, Wisconsin, Wisconsin LT	Second Novice Eight	1 p.m.
Michigan, Wisconsin	First Novice Eight	1:30 p.m.
Michigan, Wisconsin	Second Varsity Four	2:00 p.m.
Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State	First Varsity Four	2:30 p.m.
Michigan, Wisconsin, Wisconsin LT	Second Varsity Eight	2:45 p.m.
Michigan, Wisconsin	First Varsity Eight	3:15 p.m.

Coach Mark Rothstein Says...
"We're excited to race Iowa and Wisconsin. They are both strong Big Ten programs. We're going to have a lot of tough racing so we have to be ready to go."

Weather Forecast
The forecast for Saturday in Madison, Wis., calls for a high of 75 degrees with thunderstorms. Wind is expected from the southwest at 12 miles per hour.

On Iowa
The Hawkeyes are coached by Mandi Kowal, who is in her 12th season at Iowa. Last weekend, the Hawkeyes traveled to Seattle, Wash., to compete against Washington, Washington State and Oregon State. Iowa's first varsity placed fourth in its race. The Hawkeye second varsity eight was also a fourth-place finisher. Iowa on the Web: www.hawkeyesports.com.

On Wisconsin
The No. 16 Badger are guided by head coach Bebe Bryans, who is in her second season at UW after coaching seven years at Michigan State. Wisconsin won five of its seven races last weekend at the Indiana Crew Classic. UW went 5-1 against Notre Dame, with its only loss coming in the first varsity eight race. Versus Indiana, the Badgers were a perfect 4-0. Wisconsin on the Web: www.uwbadgers.com.

Last Week
The No. 10-ranked U-M first varsity eight split its decisions against No. 17 Tennessee and No. 3 Southern California in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday (April 8). In the morning, the first eight clocked in at 6:24.78 for an open-water victory over the Volunteers. Michigan's second varsity eight beat UT by a boat length, but the first varsity four lost out by a few seats.

Against No. 3 USC, the first varsity eight crossed the finish line in 6:23.24, just 1.84 seconds behind the Women of Troy. The second varsity eight and first varsity four crews would go on to capture victories versus USC.

Sticking Together
Throughout the spring season, U-M's first varsity eight lineup has not been alterred. Holdovers from the 2005 first varsity eight include seniors Stesha Carl (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson HS), Janine Hanson (Winnipeg, Manitoba/St. Mary's Academy) and Cristin McCarty (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/Bishop James Mahoney) and junior Emily Shea (Ashfield, Mass./Deerfield Academy). Junior coxswain Julia Dalzell (Berkeley, Calif./Miramonte), senior Ellen Tomek (Flushing, Mich./Powers Catholic) and sophomore Annie Hildebrand (Rochester, Mich./Rochester Adams) have all made the successful jump from the second varsity eight in 2005 into the top boat for 2006. Freshmen Ashley Jones (Oakland, Calif./Skyline) and Cate Trumble (Dalkeith, Western Australia/Presbyterian Ladies' College) have stepped right in as the bow pair in their first seasons.

Head Coach Mark Rothstein
Mark Rothstein is in his 10th 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 eight straight seasons. In 2003, Rothstein guided the first varsity eight to a runner-up finish, its best ever showing, at the NCAA Championships en route to a fourth-place team finish. At the 2001 NCAA 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 four of the six Big Ten Conference championships (2000, '01, '03, '04). In 2000, '01 and '04 he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. He was the Central Region Coach of the Year in 2000 and '01. For his efforts during the 2001 season, he was selected as the National Coach of the Year.

Probable Lineups

First Varsity Eight -- Julia Dalzell (coxswain), Stesha Carl, Ellen Tomek, Janine Hanson, Emily Shea, Cristin McCarty, Annie Hildebrand, Ashley Jones, Cate Trumble.