Michigan
Louisville
Wolverines Sweep Cardinals on Senior Day
5/1/2022 11:23:00 AM | Rowing
Site: Belleville, Mich. (Belleville Lake)
Event: Michigan vs. Louisville (Senior Day)
First Varsity Eight Finish: 6:33.6 (1st of 2)
Next U-M Event: May 15 -- at Big Ten Championships (Indianapolis, Ind.), Time TBA
Belleville, Mich. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan rowing program celebrated Senior Day for the Class of 2022 with a sweep of Louisville on Sunday (May 1) at Belleville Lake. Racing head-to-head across three events, the Wolverines picked up three wins along with some solid varsity and novice four performances. It was a solid showing before the team embarks on its postseason journey, and the regular season-finale ended with a ceremony honoring the program's departing seniors.
Morning rain lightened up for cloudy skies and calm waters by race time. Crews experienced sections of small chop but the water was relatively smooth with five-to-eight mile per hour headwinds. Â Temperatures were in the low 50s by morning's end. The Wolverines had 10 boats in action across six events, with the final two races (both 4+) being Michigan-only.
The program honored its departing Wolverines on the boathouse deck after races concluded. The senior class and staff also surprised head coach Mark Rothstein with a special gift celebrating his 30 years leading the program -- an oar engraved with his accomplishments as U-M head coach on the blade.
In the 1V8 event, both boats started fast with Louisville looking steady, but the Wolverines kept cool. U-M took a move in the early going, pushing ahead until its coxswain was even with the Louisville bow ball before creating open water past the 500-meter mark. Nearing the 1,000-meter mark, the rate picked up again and the Wolverines were up two boat lengths of open water by the 1,250 meter-mark. Two boat lengths became three in the final 500 meters and U-M's winning time of 6:33.6 came in +23.62 ahead of the Cardinals. The boat has been improving all season and looks to be peaking at the right time of year.
The 2V8 boat dominated its race with a retooled lineup featuring Jeri Rhodes in stroke seat. The Maize and Blue got off the line quickly and left the Cardinals behind. An early lead was opened wider and wider as the Wolverines cruised through their base pace and upped the rate with a strong move. Near the 1,000-meter mark U-M had two boat lengths of open water and it grew closer to three over the next 500 meters. Down the stretch, the Wolverines looked smooth and cruised to a time of 6:44.4 for a comfortable win of 19.38 seconds.
In the 1V4 race, U-M created open water on the Cardinals in the first 500 meters, and was up near more than a boat length of open water by 750 meters. The Wolverines did not slow their pace in the slightest, staying laser-focused through the halfway point and building on their lead all the while. The difference was more than three boat lengths heading into the final 500 meters. U-M held on for a win of more than 20 seconds, timing 7:26.7.
The first race of the morning was Louisville's 3V8 and U-M's 2N8 boat. The Wolverines began fast and made a move between the 750- and 1,000-meter marks with Louisville still in contact. U-M pulled away in the second half, moving up by two seats of open water at the three-quarter mark. The Wolverines upped the stroke rate into their sprint and took the win by 7.66 seconds.
The final three races of the day featured only Wolverine fours.
The 3V4 event led its event early, putting open water on the two other Wolverine boats in the field in the first 500 meters. The boat did not wait to make a move, pushing ahead for a significant gap while the 4V4 gave chase with open water on the top novice four. The 3V put about five lengths of water on the field near the halfway point and kept is rate up through the finish. The winning time was 7:37.6.
The 2V4 and 1N4 boats made for an interesting race in the last event. The top novice four began quickly before the 2V4 regained its footing and walked through the boat using a higher stroke rate. The 2V4 cruised from the 1,000-meter point on but the 1N4 made a move not long after that halfway point to sit one seat back. Contact remained throughout the race, but the 2V4 pulled ahead to earn the win in 7:29.1
U-M will train in 'Camp Wolverine' mode for the next two weeks ahead of the Big Ten Championships on Sunday (May 15). The regatta is back in Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, though an exact start time is to be announced. The team is seeking its third consecutive conference title.
Results
First Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:33.6
2. Louisville -- 6:57.22
Second Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:44.4
2. Louisville -- 7:03.78
First Varsity Four
1. MICHIGAN -- 7:26.7
2. Louisville -- 7:47.45
Second Varsity Four
1. MICHIGAN -- 7:29.1
2. MICHIGAN 2N4 -- 7:37.24
3. MICHIGAN 3N4 -- 8:09.51
Third Varsity Four
1. MICHIGAN -- 7:37.6
2. MICHIGAN 4V4 -- 7:45.74
3. MICHIGAN 1N4 -- 8:46.61
Second Novice Eight/Third Varsity Eight
1. MICHIGAN (2N8) -- 7:12.9
2. Louisville (3V8) -- 7:20.56
MICHIGAN LINEUP
1V8: Charlotte Powers (coxswain), Jessica Schoonbee, Katie Easton, Kate Burns, Abigail Dent, Elena Collier-Hezel, Grace Collins, Gabrielle Graves, Ariana Shokoohi
2V8: Ainslie Evans (coxswain), Jeri Rhodes, Carla Russell, Sarah McKay, Brooke Gietzen, Noa Sreden, Zara Collisson, Victoria Cooke, Kathryn Ward
1V4: Annaka Draaisma, Aubrey Fitts, Emma Luniewicz, Cecilia Spesia, Kaitlin Nemeh (coxswain)
2V4: Lauren Sickmiller, Gracie Landefeld, Delaney Evans, Olivia McMullen, Kayla Ehrlich (coxswain)
3V4: Madelyn Ball, Elle Caton, Kate Lucken, Lauren Benitez, Rocky Morabito (coxswain)
4V4: Lillian Mei, Hadley Camp, Lauren Langley, Julia Casey, Alexandra Gabel (coxswain)
2N8: Gabby Franco-Borges (coxswain), Ellen Koselka, Alana Maffesoli, Lauren Lier, Caroline Kevnick, Madeline Lohse, Charlotte Trunsky, Madeline Carr, Evyn Johnson
1N4: Erin Benitez, Abby Hathaway, Anna Muench, Emily Nelson, Sophie McSpedon (coxswain)
2N4: Emma Pettigrew, Allison Hall, Lauren Boydston, Megan Kleiner, Alexandra Gabel (coxswain)
3N4: Lauren Lutz, Anna Machak, Audrey Becker, Jillian Rhoney, Lira Bordoley (coxswain)
Players Mentioned
