Wolverines Show Well on First Day of Cardinal Invite

Saturday, March 17

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

9:00 AM

Michigan

Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational (Morning)

3/17/2018 6:32:00 PM | Rowing

By: Chad Shepard

» Michigan's first and second varsity eight boats swept their four races, which included victories over fast opponents such as Yale and Wisconsin.
» U-M's four varsity boats took six of a possible eight first-place finishes.
» True freshman Annika Hoffmann made her varsity debut in the 1V8 boat today, one of five true freshmen to make varsity debuts.

Site: Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Melton Hill Lake)
Event: Louisville Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, March 18 -- at Louisville Cardinal Invitational (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) -- 9 a.m.

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – The University of Michigan rowing program opened its 2018 season with an impressive day of racing at Louisville's Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational on Saturday (March 17), as it compiled six wins over morning and afternoon sessions on Melton Hill Lake, led by an undefeated day from the 1V8 and 2V8 boats.

In its third straight year opening the spring season in Oak Ridge, also the site of the team's spring training trip, U-M looked comfortable on the 2,000-meter course.

The first varsity eight boat beat Wisconsin, Minnesota and Tulsa in the morning with a cushion of more than four seconds on the Badgers, and finished in 6:10.294. In the afternoon, U-M rowed to a time of 6:15.099, to best Yale (6:18.905), host Louisville and Tennessee.

The second varsity eight boat won by more than six seconds in the morning (6:16.602 ahead of Wisconsin's 6:18.862) and by more than four seconds in the afternoon (6:17.022 ahead of Yale's 6:21.741). That race rounded out a perfect day for Michigan's two eight boats.

The varsity four boats also contributed to Michigan's winning ways. Both boats won their morning races with times under seven minutes, although Yale clipped U-M in the afternoon session. The 1V4 posted a winning time of 6:56.200 and finished second with 7:00.375, as the Bulldogs edged the Wolverines in 6:57.925. The 2V4 won with a time of 6:59.10 and finished runner-up in 7:06.550, with Yale winning in 7:02.242.

Annika Hoffmann was not the lone freshman to debut this weekend, though her start in the 1V8 is impressive. Her classmates Kate Burns (2V8), Megan Hinkle (2V8), Emma Luniewicz (2V8, 1V4) and Grace Collins (1V4) also made debuts this weekend. Former novice program rowers who made varsity debuts include junior Perry Bower (2V8) and sophomores Tate Aronstein (2V4), Madison Byrd (2V8), Sadie Staudacher (2V4, 1V4) and Madeleine Schneider (2V4). Aronstein also rowed in a varsity boat at the Head of the Charles last fall.

U-M continues action in Oak Ridge tomorrow morning (Sunday, March 18) with another 9 a.m. start for the second of two days at Louisville's Cardinal Invitational.

Morning Session Results
First Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:10.294
2. Wisconsin -- 6:14. 746
3. Minnesota -- 6:16.154
4. Tulsa -- 6:20.398

Second Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:16.602
2. Wisconsin -- 6:18.862
3. Minnesota -- 6:25.886
4. Tulsa -- 6:32.762

First Varsity Four
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:56.200
2. Wisconsin -- 7:02.600
3. Minnesota -- 7:04.900
4. Tulsa -- 7:13.300

Second Varsity Four
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:59.110
2. Tulsa -- 7:18.570
3. Minnesota -- 7:30.850

First Novice Eight
1. Virginia -- 6:32.467
2. Minnesota -- 6:40.017
3. MICHIGAN -- 6:41.047
4. Michigan State -- 7:07.507

Afternoon Session Results
First Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:15.099
2. Yale -- 6:18.905
3. Louisville -- 6:24.679
4. Tennessee -- 6:30.069

Second Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:17.022
2. Yale -- 6:21.741
3. Tennessee -- 6:34.854
4. Louisville -- 6:37.594

First Varsity Four
1. Yale -- 6:57.925
2. MICHIGAN -- 7:00.375
3. Tennessee -- 7:10.074
4. Louisville -- 7:16.910

Second Varsity Four
1. Yale -- 7:02.242
2. MICHIGAN -- 7:06.550
3. Notre Dame -- 7:16.646
4. Tennessee -- 7:38.361

First Novice Eight
1. Yale -- 6:34.289
2. Tennessee -- 6:42.223
3. MICHIGAN -- 6:46.127
4. Louisville -- 6:49.707

Michigan lineups can be found below:

Morning Session
1V8: Alexis Jones (coxswain), Meghan Gutknecht, Tayla-May Bentley, Kendall Brewer, Kathryn Grotto, Shayla Lamb, Victoria Glunt, Annika Hoffmann, Kalia Krichko