Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Qualifies For Third Trip To NCAAs
5/17/2016 6:43:00 PM | Women's Rowing
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Indiana rowing is heading to California—again.
The Hoosiers received an at-large bid to compete at the NCAA Championships taking place May 27-29 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, California, the same site as last year's championship competition. The trip will mark IU's third consecutive appearance in the national championship races.
"Making it for a third year in a row is obviously fantastic," head coach Steve Peterson said. "One of the big goals is obviously making it to the NCAAs, but then being able to sustain that and do it year after year after year, it says something about the program. It says something about the culture we've developed."
Indiana's place in the championship field was anything but assured when the team started streaming the selection show inside the Shuel Academic Center Tuesday night. Unlike the last two seasons, the Hoosiers found themselves on the bubble, not quite sure if they were in or out after finishing fourth at the Big Ten Championships last weekend.
Even so, Peterson said he was confident his boats deserved to be in. The athletes kept the mood before the selection show light streaming videos off YouTube of old races and joking around before ultimately finding out they'd be heading out to California when Indiana was announced as one of the 11 teams to receive an at-large bid.
"I was pretty nervous going in, but seeing that name pop up is pretty exciting," senior Madison Treser said. As IU's name popped up on the screen, rowers jumped out of their seats and cheered before calming down to see who else made the field.
Indiana—one of 14 teams to make the 22 team NCAA Championship field each of the last three seasons—is seeded No. 17 in the First Varsity 8 race, No. 13 in the second Varsity 8 race and No. 14 in the Varsity 4. IU is one of four Big Ten teams in the field, joined by 3-time defending champion Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Though the seeding will ultimately determine lane positions and give an indication as to where the teams may finish, Peterson said he doesn't put too much stock into the numbers. Graduate student Madelon Webb said it's easy to forget about the seeds once the boats hit the water.
"The seeding just kind of says what others think we can do," Webb said. "It's our job to do even better."
Doing better is precisely Peterson's expectation, as in doing better than last year. That would mean top-10 finishes for both varsity 8 boats and the Varsity 4 boat improving on its win in the C Final a year ago. IU wound up 11th overall.
Working in Indiana's favor this year is an increased familiarity with competing at the NCAA Tournaments. This being IU's third consecutive trip and second to the Gold River, Peterson said he's learned from each national championship trip and is piecing together a winning formula.
"Each year, we end up learning something we didn't know," he said. "This year, being on the same course, being in the same venue, it's only going to help."
In the meantime, the Hoosiers will have a few days of training in Bloomington before heading out to California for training and competition.
As is normally the case this time of year, there's not much speed left to find in the boats before race day, but the Hoosiers say there's a few things to tidy up to shave even more time in California. As they've already learned the past two seasons, any inch gained could make the difference.
"They've done a great job," Peterson said. "I'm excited to get out to California and race."
Here's a look at the complete seed lists for each race heading into the NCAA Championships:
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - Indiana rowing is heading to California—again.
The Hoosiers received an at-large bid to compete at the NCAA Championships taking place May 27-29 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, California, the same site as last year's championship competition. The trip will mark IU's third consecutive appearance in the national championship races.
"Making it for a third year in a row is obviously fantastic," head coach Steve Peterson said. "One of the big goals is obviously making it to the NCAAs, but then being able to sustain that and do it year after year after year, it says something about the program. It says something about the culture we've developed."
Indiana's place in the championship field was anything but assured when the team started streaming the selection show inside the Shuel Academic Center Tuesday night. Unlike the last two seasons, the Hoosiers found themselves on the bubble, not quite sure if they were in or out after finishing fourth at the Big Ten Championships last weekend.
Even so, Peterson said he was confident his boats deserved to be in. The athletes kept the mood before the selection show light streaming videos off YouTube of old races and joking around before ultimately finding out they'd be heading out to California when Indiana was announced as one of the 11 teams to receive an at-large bid.
"I was pretty nervous going in, but seeing that name pop up is pretty exciting," senior Madison Treser said. As IU's name popped up on the screen, rowers jumped out of their seats and cheered before calming down to see who else made the field.
Indiana—one of 14 teams to make the 22 team NCAA Championship field each of the last three seasons—is seeded No. 17 in the First Varsity 8 race, No. 13 in the second Varsity 8 race and No. 14 in the Varsity 4. IU is one of four Big Ten teams in the field, joined by 3-time defending champion Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Though the seeding will ultimately determine lane positions and give an indication as to where the teams may finish, Peterson said he doesn't put too much stock into the numbers. Graduate student Madelon Webb said it's easy to forget about the seeds once the boats hit the water.
"The seeding just kind of says what others think we can do," Webb said. "It's our job to do even better."
Doing better is precisely Peterson's expectation, as in doing better than last year. That would mean top-10 finishes for both varsity 8 boats and the Varsity 4 boat improving on its win in the C Final a year ago. IU wound up 11th overall.
Working in Indiana's favor this year is an increased familiarity with competing at the NCAA Tournaments. This being IU's third consecutive trip and second to the Gold River, Peterson said he's learned from each national championship trip and is piecing together a winning formula.
"Each year, we end up learning something we didn't know," he said. "This year, being on the same course, being in the same venue, it's only going to help."
In the meantime, the Hoosiers will have a few days of training in Bloomington before heading out to California for training and competition.
As is normally the case this time of year, there's not much speed left to find in the boats before race day, but the Hoosiers say there's a few things to tidy up to shave even more time in California. As they've already learned the past two seasons, any inch gained could make the difference.
"They've done a great job," Peterson said. "I'm excited to get out to California and race."
Here's a look at the complete seed lists for each race heading into the NCAA Championships:
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