Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Rowing Opens Spring Slate Saturday
3/8/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
March 8, 2013
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana rowing team opens spring racing with its annual Spring Break Training Trip to Clemson, S.C., March 9-16. IU's Spring Break trip will conclude with racing against Clemson, Boston University, Syracuse and Purdue on Sunday, March 16 on Lake Hartwell in Clemson.
"The big focus (over spring break) is going to be kind of a crash course in trying to put together line-ups for our first race, and then also, as quickly as possible - working on developing a skeleton race plan that we'll work on throughout the course of the year," said head coach Steve Peterson. "At the end of spring break, we have a race where we face off against Clemson, Syracuse, Boston and Purdue. It's always a great race for us. Clemson is always right up there in rankings. Syracuse is really fast this year. We saw them in the fall at the Princeton Chase and they definitely have picked up speed, and Boston University is always up there. After the week of training over spring break, we're never 100 percent rested for that race, but it is a good gage for us to see what we're doing right and what we need to work on."
The Hoosiers return home for their Class Races on March 23, followed by a scrimmage against Dayton and Eastern Michigan on Lake Lemon, Saturday, March 30. Indiana will then play host to Kansas and Georgetown on Saturday, April 6 for its first home race of the season. Following the Big Ten Double Dual against Michigan and Michigan State in Ann Arbor, on Saturday, April 13, Indiana will head back to South Carolina for the Clemson Invitational on April 20-21.
"The first race against Kansas and Georgetown should be a good one," Peterson said. "It brings in schools from a couple different regions and different conferences. Anytime we can see people outside of our region earlier in the year, it's great. Kansas is a good program and Georgetown has had some speed in the BIG EAST, so they will both be a very good challenge for us."
Highlighting the home slate is the fourth annual Dale England Cup on Lake Lemon, April 26-27. This year's Dale England will feature the Hoosiers taking on Alabama, Notre Dame and Iowa at Riddle Point Park. In 2012, the Hoosiers finished in a three-way tie for first at the weather-shortened Dale England Cup with Duke and Rhode Island. However, the Blue Devils came away with the Cup after winning the First Varsity 8 on the first day of racing. The Hoosiers ended up tied for second with Rhode Island, while Central Florida finished fourth.
"With the Dale England Cup, it's a little bit more of a regional race, with the exception of Alabama," added Peterson. "Notre Dame went to NCAA's last year and we beat them earlier in the year, so there's definitely a really good, healthy rivalry between our two programs. Iowa has a new coach who came from Virginia, where he was very successful there as an assistant. They have already shown improvement in their racing in the fall, so I'll be curious to see what their racing is like at that point. Alabama is a school that's similar to us where they are a perennial in the top-25, top-30 in the country, trying to break into that top NCAA group, so that should also be a real marquis race for us and our last real tune-up before the Big Ten Championships."
Indiana opens the championship portion of the season with the Big Ten Rowing Championships on Sunday, May 19, at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. The 2013 NCAA Rowing Championships are slated for May 31-June 2, and will also take place at Eagle Creek Park.
Riddle Point Park • Lake Lemon
Indiana Rowing's home regattas take place at Riddle Point Park on Lake Lemon, just outside of Bloomington. From Memorial Stadium, take 17th street to the bypass (45N/46E). Turn right on the bypass and follow it past the Indiana University Golf Course on your left. At the next traffic light, 45N and 46E will split. Turn left at this light, staying on 45 North/10th Street. Follow 45 North/10th Street for approximately seven miles and watch for a green sign for Lake Lemon/Riddle Point. Shortly after the green sign, at the top of the hill, you will take a left onto Tunnel Road. Follow Tunnel Road for approximately three miles and it will take you right into Riddle Point Park.
