April 30, 2009
Big Ten Championship Page
Complete Release in PDF Format 
Live Results
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
This Week...
The Spartans will look for their second consecutive Big Ten title as they take part in the Big Ten Championships on Griggs Reservoir. The event will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude with a medal ceremony a 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Starting with the morning session, MSUSpartans.com will provide live updates after each race in which MSU participates. Check back with this webpage for all of MSU's results during the Big Ten Championships.
The Spartans enter this year's championships ranked No. 3 in the nation, the highest ranking in the Big Ten. Two of MSU's boats - the varsity eight and the second varsity eight - have earned No. 1 seeds at the competition as the varsity eight boat has earned top-billing for the second straight year. The varsity eight is also ranked No. 1 in the cMax national rankings, which attempt to determine the fastest boat in the nation.
Last Time Out...
In its last competition, MSU also competed on Griggs Reservoir, topping Washington State, Oregon State and Bucknell two weeks ago. The Spartans' varsity eight had one of its best races of the season against Bucknell in the final session, winning by nearly 26 seconds. The crew topped WSU by more than nine seconds and OSU by nearly five.
Recapping the 2008 Championships...
Last year's Big Ten Championships were one to remember for the Spartans as they tied a Big Ten record with 150 points en-route to their second Big Ten title since 2005. The Spartans took top honors in the varsity eight, varsity four, and second varsity four races and earned second in both the second varsity eight and the first novice eight. MSU swept the major awards at last year's Big Ten Championships: Head coach Matt Weise was honored as the Big Ten Coach of the Year while former Spartan Anne Cowan was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year. Laura Cowal was honored as the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year to complete the sweep.
A look a this year's Big Ten field...
Although MSU comes into the event as the nation's No. 3 team, several schools will look to make a run at the league's top spot this season. Six of the Big Ten's seven teams rank in the top 20 while three - MSU, Michigan and Ohio State - rank in the top 10. The Wolverines are right on the Spartans' heels in a tie for fourth with Stanford and their varsity eight ranks third in the cMax rankings, just 2.1 seconds back from the Spartans, who occupy the top spot. The Buckeyes rank ninth in both the CRCA poll and the cMax ranks. Wisconsin (14), Iowa (17) and Minnesota (20) round out the field of ranked competitors this weekend. The only team in the Big Ten to not boast a national ranking is Indiana.
Success in the NCAA boats...
The success that the Spartans have seen in their three NCAA boats bode will for MSU as championship season begins. In all, MSU's three boats have combined to win 17 of their 21 races during the spring, highlighted by eight wins from the varsity eight and seven from the second varsity eight; the two have combined to win 15 of 16 races on the season.
Scouting the Spartans...
The Varsity Eight
Season Dual Record: 8-0
2009 Big Ten Championship Seed: No. 1
Best Conference Finish: 1st (2005, 2008)
The Spartans' varsity eight comes into the weekend having earned the No. 1 ranking in this week's CRCA cMax rankings, which uses a system to determine the fastest V8 crews in the nation. The varsity eight is undefeated heading into the Big Ten Championships for the first time in program history and has earned the No. 1 seed in its race for the second consecutive season. The Spartans finished ahead of 12 different crews in eight races this season en-route to their perfect record. The Spartans' varsity eight will look to repeat as Big Ten Champs for the first time in program history. The varsity eight boat has just two seniors on board, making them one of the youngest varsity eight crews in the Big Ten as well. Sophomore Laura Cowal, last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, anchors the varsity eight in the stroke position. The varsity eight's two largest margins of victory came against Notre Dame (25.80) and Bucknell (25.36). The crew has won every race by open water heading into the weekend.
The Second Varsity Eight
Season Dual Record: 7-1
2009 Big Ten Championship Seed: No. 1
Best Conference Finish: 1st (2003)
The second varsity eight comes into the Big Ten Championships as one of the fastest eight boats in the nation as well, earning the No. 1 seed at the competition. The second varsity eight finished first in seven of its eight races with its only loss coming against Washington State on Griggs Reservoir earlier this season. The Spartans had a six-seat lead in that race at the 1,000-meter mark. The second varsity eight posted better times than opposing team's varsity eights on 10 different occasions this season.
The Varsity Four
Season Dual Record: 5-1
2009 Big Ten Championship Seed: No. 3
Best Conference Finish: 1st (2003)
The Spartans' varsity four is the defending Big Ten Champion and was one of the fastest varsity fours in school history last season. But the crew has had to reload after graduating seniors left holes in the boat. Senior Sarah Kreft (Lansing, Mich.) is the only returning member from last year's boat as Lauren Gamble (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Ashley Peach (St. John's, Newfoundland) and Nancy Diehl (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) have all moved to the eight boats this season. Despite having to reload, the varsity four has still earned the No. 3 seed at this year's championships. The varsity four is coxed by Amanda Ruhno (Dewitt, Mich.), this year's MSU President's Award winner, given to the graduating senior with the top grade-point-average at MSU. Ruhno has a 3.966 GPA in mechanical engineering.
The Second Varsity Four
Season Dual Record: 1-2
2009 Big Ten Championship Seed: No. 4
Best Conference Finish: 1st (2004, 2008)
MSU's varsity four is the lowest seeded boat for the Spartans at the competition after earning the No. 4 seed. Just like the varsity four, the second four is also the defending Big Ten Champion. After rebuilding in the offseason, the second varsity four has been improving all season long. The crew earned a win over Notre Dame in the Spartans' only home races of the spring on Lake Ovid. The crew also finished second at the Dale England Cup in Bloomington, Ind., finishing ahead of crews from Louisville in both the morning and afternoon session earlier this season.
The Novice Eight
Season Dual Record: 3-3
2009 Big Ten Championship Seed: No. 3
Best Conference Finish: 2nd (2003, 2004, 2008)
The novice eight enters the weekend as the No. 3 seed in the competition. The novice eight earned wins over Washington State, Iowa and Notre Dame this season. All three of its wins have been in closely contested contests, winning by no more than five seconds in each race. In each of its three losses in dual competition, the novice eight has not lost by more than 6.2 seconds this season.
The Second Novice Eight
Season Dual Record: 3-0
2009 Big Ten Championship Seed: No. 3
Best Conference Finish: 2nd (2001)
The second novice eight comes into the championships with a 3-0 record in dual competition this season and finished lower than second in only one race this spring. The boat ended the regular season on a high note by defeating both Wisconsin and Iowa at the Big Ten Double Dual on Belleville Lake. The race with Wisconsin was one of the closest at the competition as the Spartans edged the Badger crew by just more than a second. The Spartans other win in dual competition came against Notre Dame on Lake Ovid, topping the Irish crew by nearly 12 seconds.
Canadian Connection...
Michigan State associate head coach Christiina Tymoszewicz-Donley, now in her fourth season, has undeniably left her mark on the program. As a Canadian, Tymoszewicz-Donley has scoured her home nation for its best talent and is one of the reasons for the Spartans' recent success. Tymoszewicz-Donley, who serves as the recruiting coordinator for the team, has helped bring a Canadian influence to the Spartan roster. In fact, in the Spartans' varsity eight, three of the nine members - Laura Cowal (Thorold, Ontario), Michelle Mussett (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia) and Amanda McGeachie (Sidney, British Columbia) - all represent Canada. In all, seven MSU rowers call Canada home. Former Spartan Anne Cowan, last year's Big Ten Athlete of the Year, is also a Canadian.
Burdick's Debut...
Former Spartan and First Team Academic All-American Kate Burdick will make her network debut this weekend as she will provide color analysis at the Big Ten Championships. Burdick was a Second Team All-Big Ten honoree last season and CRCA Central Region first team section as well. The Big Ten Championships will air in a tape-delayed broadcast on the Big Ten Network on May 17 at 3 p.m. Cowal will also be featured on the broadcast, giving a tour of the MSU facilities, letting fans get an inside look at everything that is Spartan rowing.
Big Night for Ruhno...
Senior coxswain Amanda Ruhno (DeWitt, Mich.) earned one of the Michigan State athletic department's most prestigious awards at the SASS Spartan Academic Excellence Gala. Ruhno took home the President's Award, given to the female graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade-point-average. Ruhno, who has a 3.966 GPA, will graduate in May with a degree in mechanical engineering. Ruhno coxed the 2008 Big Ten Champion second varsity four boat, and this season is coxing the first varsity four shell. Ruhno is the third rower to capture the award since 2006. Last year, Kate Burdick (Ann Arbor, Mich.) took home the honor while Abby Wieber took home the award in 2006. The gala also featured entertainment from current Spartan Laura Cowal. With accompaniment on the piano from Kate Burdick, Cowal performed the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for a crowd of hundreds at the event.
Griggs Reservoir...
The Spartans have begun to grow familiar with the 2,000-meter course on Griggs Reservoir. This weekend marks the Spartans' second consecutive trip to Griggs as MSU defeated Washington State, Oregon State and Bucknell on the same course two weeks ago.
The Griggs Reservoir sits on the Scioto river, located just four miles west of the Ohio State campus on Fishinger Road and Riverside Drive. It has an area of 5,000 meters in length and 230 meters in width. The facility is used for rowing, sailing and water skiing. Major events such as the Governor's Cup Ohio High School Rowing Championships, Jack Speakman Regatta and Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Championships are held on the river.
Griggs Reservoir has been ranked as a top spot in the world for rowing because of its location in a limestone valley and heavily tree-lined banks. The width from shore to shore is extensive, enabling seven lanes across for competition. The Scioto originates 50 miles northwest of Columbus near Waynesfield and continues southward to its mouth at the Ohio River.
Banner Year on the Water and in the Classroom in `08...
In a addition to seeing plenty of success on the water last year, seven MSU rowers were selected as 2008 CRCA Scholar Athletes. Making the list were Joanna Brown, Kate Burdick, Lauren Gamble, Megan Kursik, Sarah Schmidt, Victoria Woodard and Tamara Yantovsky. MSU was also honored for its success in the classroom by the Big Ten Conference. In all, 23 student-athletes were named to the 2008 Academic All-Big Ten Spring Honor Roll: Katie Bitz, Joanna Brown, Kate Burdick, Anne Cowan, Nancy Diehl, Shannon Dunn, Amanda Dunnill, Lauren Gamble, Kelley Goldblatt, Brianna Groubert, Sarah Kreft, Megan Kursik, Ashley Lichota, Alex Maibusch, Ashley Peach, Emily Regan, Amanda Ruhno, Sarah Schmidt, Kate Taylor, Emily Topping, Ashley Wenneman, Victoria Woodard and Tamara Yantovsky. The Spartans saw their academic success honored at a national level as well. Burdick was honored as a two-time first team member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District team, having earned the honor in 2007 and in 2008. Burdick graduated with a 3.99 GPA in kinesiology.
A Little More Than a Decade of Excellence...
MSU has qualified for the NCAA National Championship Regatta in 10 of the last 11 seasons. The only year in which the Spartans did not qualify for the NCAA Championships since becoming a varsity sport in 1998 was 2007. MSU has received eight team bids and received at-large berths for their varsity eight boat in 1998 and 2001, establishing the team as one of the elite rowing programs in the nation. The Spartans finished sixth at last year's championships, tied for the program's top finish.
