Indiana University Athletics
IU Improves at Big Ten Championship
5/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Columbus, Ohio- The Indiana University Rowing team advanced two boats to the Grand Finals for the first time in IU history at the Big Ten Championships in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday, May 3. The first and second Novice 8 boats finished second in its heats to advance to the Grand Finals, where they both placed fourth. Indiana finished seventh overall with 30 points as Michigan captured the 2003 Big Ten Championship title with a total of 123 points in a tie-breaker with Michigan State that came down to the Varsity 8 Grand Finals.
"We scored more points than ever before, so that is a positive thing," head coach Mark Wilson said. "Placing the two Novice boats in the Grand Finals helped us in that category. They didn't row as well as they had hoped to in the Grand Finals, but it was still great that they made it that far. Both their first races were better than there second races."
Senior Becky England was named to the All Big-Ten Rowing First Team and Sophomore Kelly Schuiling was named to the second team as Indiana finished with its highest point total in the program's four years.
"The team is very proud of both Becky and Kelly," said Wilson. "They both are very deserving of the award. Kelly is one of those athletes that knows what it takes to win and is not afraid to voice her opinions and be a leader even as an underclassmen. Becky has been a great leader for four years at Indiana. She is a great role model for all of the team members."
Each event had one heat of four boats and one heat of three boats. The top two finishing boats advanced to the Grand Finals while the last boats competed in the Petite Final. If there were only five entries in an event, there was a five-boat heat in the morning for lane positions and a five-boat heat in the afternoon for the finals. The only instance that this occurred was in the Varsity 4 event.
During the morning session of the Big Ten Championships, Indiana's second Novice 8 boat raced in a heat against Ohio State and Minnesota. Maria Hernandez, Laura Teskoski, Barrett Belstra, Carly Schilling, Ashley Sylla, Elisabeth Benoit, Erin Fein, Jamy Stech and Erin Kuehn finished second in a time of 7:11.4, good enough to advance to the afternoons Grand Finals. Ohio State finished first in 7:08.2 and Minnesota rowed in behind IU at 7:35.8.
In the Grand Finals Wisconsin captured the second Novice 8 title in a time of 6:44.7. Indiana finished fourth, rowing in at 6:56.5, just five tenths of a second off from Michigan State who placed third (6:56).
The first Novice 8 boat finished second in its morning heat (6:51.7), competing against Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa. Wisconsin (6:44.5) and Indiana both advanced to the Grand Finals, where Indiana finished fourth in a time of 7:08.8. Representing the Hoosiers in the first Novice 8 boat was Laura Wharen, Katie Slavik, Laura Lazaridis, Kati Peiss, Lauren Anderson, Katy Dickerson, Ashley Airis, Leslie Schaffer and Amy Hoffman. Once again, Wisconsin came away with the win, finishing in a time of 6:49.7.
Both the first and second Varsity 8 boats finished fourth in its morning heats, placing in the afternoons Petite Finals. The first Varsity 8 boat, consisting of Becky England, Danielle Bird, Ashley Quinn, Erin Koers, Kelly Schuling, Margaret Clark, Line Espedal, Emily Rumschlag and Stephanie Mast raced against Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin during the morning session. Ohio State finished first in a time of 6:31.3, MSU placed second (6:34), Wisconsin rowed in third (6:38) and IU finished fourth in a time of 6:54.4.
The second Varsity 8 boat, Rebekha Archibald, Kristen Storer, Sarah Meyer, Christine Taylor, Casey Schoenhoft, Stephanie Weert, Amanda Tallman, Amanda Walker and Annie Lawson, finished fourth (7:14.2) behind Ohio State (6:47.3), Michigan (6:51.5) and Minnesota (7:01.3).
In the Petite Finals, both the first and second Varsity 8 boats finished third. Wisconsin finished first in the second Varsity 8 Petite Finals in a time of 6:47.9. Minnesota came in second (6:58.8) and Indiana finished third at 7:26.4.
In the first Varsity 8 Petite Finals, Minnesota rowed in first at 6:34.8, Wisconsin came in second (6:38) and Indiana placed third (6:56).
The Varsity 8 Grand Final champion was Michigan and the second Varsity 8 winner was Michigan State.
"Overall, we made good strides today," Wilson said. "We are going onto the Central Region Regatta in two weeks where we will face all these teams again. We are going to be moving forward, changing up the lineups and mixing the Varsity and the Novice together."
The Hoosiers are back in action on Saturday, May 17, as they head to Oak Ridge, Tenn., to compete in the Central Region Regatta.
2003 Final Team Standings
2003 Big Ten Championship Final Team Standings
1. Michigan * 123
Michigan State 123
3. Ohio State 107
4. Iowa 99
5. Wisconsin 69
6. Minnesota 61
7. Indiana 30
* Wins tie-breaker with higher finish in First Varsity 8 Grand Final.
2003 All-Big Ten Rowing Teams
First Team
Indiana
Rebecca England
Iowa
Jessica Goetz
Michigan
Helen Dalis
Erin Kopicki
Kate Maxim
Michigan State
Rachel Miller
Minnesota
Melissa Roche
Ohio State
Karla Fiserova
Maxi Meissner
Wisconsin
Erin Gladding
Second Team
Indiana
Kelly Schuiling
Iowa
Michelle Trannel
Michigan
Heather Mandoli
Katie Reynolds
Michigan State
Kate Gay
Stacey Hicks
Minnesota
Heidi Rose
Ohio State
Heather Feldmann
Natalie Legge
Wisconsin
Marianna Waters
