Indiana University Athletics
IU Brings Home Solid Performance (10-13-02)
10/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Rockford, Ill. - The Indiana women's rowing team finished its first road weekend at the Head of the Rock Regatta in Rockford, Ill. With the weather conditions not playing in IU's favor, the team continues to improve and work hard.
"The improvement from last year to this year is amazing," head coach Mark Wilson said. "The girls have more of a professional attitude. They are learning what it takes to get better and improve."
Many of the girls had to compete in multiple events, sometimes finishing one race and beginning another without a break.
"We need to be continuing to look toward the spring," said coach Wilson. "Our philosophy right now, in the fall, is the more opportunity the better. The girls handled the multiple times of launching and warming up very well."
The competition was intense, and the Hoosier rowing team handled themselves professionally, focusing on what they needed to do to be successful.
"Everybody raced well today, but the results are not indicative of that," coach Wilson said. "The competition was incredible. Some of the teams competing were Kansas, Notre Dame, Iowa, and Wisconsin, who had five buses of rowers."
The first event that IU raced in was the Open Pair. Indiana had four different boats take part in this competition. Boat A, consisting of Erin Koers and Emily Rumschlag placed first for the Hoosiers and 14th overall with a time of 19:17. Finishing second for IU was Stephanie Mast and Kelly Schuiling (19:59), placing 21st overall.
Carrying over their stellar performance from last weekend at the LemonHead Regatta, the Novice 4 placed first overall with a time of 19:38. Representing the Novice 4 were coxwain Laura Wharen, Lauren Anderson, Kati Peiss, Barrett Belstra, and Laura Teskoski. Wharen led the squad, steering a great course.
The third event of the day for the Hoosiers was the Open 4. The team didn't rank as well as they expected to, placing 26th with a time of 19:23. Some of the girls had little rest, having just finished a previous event.
Stephanie Weert, Becky England, Erin Koers, Kristin Storer, and Sarah Meyer had Indiana finishing fifth with a time of 19:24 in the light weight 4.
The second competition that the Novice squad competed in was the Novice 8. The team placed 11th overall out of 26 boats with a time of 19:08. This was the first time that the Novice 8 has raced in a competition, after only a total of three practices as a boat. The University of Wisconsin took first place, finishing with a time 17:01.
IU raced three boats in the Open 2x (Doubles) event, placing third, seventh and eighth. Boat A, made up of Margaret Clark and Line Espedal finished first for the Hoosiers with a time of 19:36. The seventh place boat, rowed in by Storer and Annie Lawson finished with a time of 21:28 and the eighth place boat (Casey Schoenhoft and Kelly Schuiling) rowed a time of 21:33.
Wrapping up day was the Open 8 race. Indiana A, led by coswain Becky England, finished 15th (16:58). England led a boat of Erin Koers, Emily Rumschlag, Stephanie Mast, Margaret Clark, Line Espedal, Kelly Schuiling, Meredith DeCosta, and Ashley Quinn. Indiana B rowed in 30th with a time of 18:10.
The Hoosiers take to the road again next weekend. The Varsity takes off on Thursday for the Head of the Charles in Boston while the Novice squad heads to Indianapolis for the Head of the Eagle. Both events take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8:00 a.m.
