May 27, 2009

NCAA National Regatta Coverage
Complete Release in PDF Format
NCAA Championship Website

National Regatta Video Preview

This Week...
The seventh-ranked Michigan State rowing program will compete in the 16-team 2009 NCAA National Regatta on Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, N.J., from May 29-31. This is the 11th time in the last 12 seasons that the MSU rowing program will be represented at the National Regatta and the ninth time that the Spartans will have a full team at the championships.

The bid is the Spartans' seventh full-team bid in the last eight seasons; the only year in which the team did not qualify for the National Regatta was in 2007, the only year that the Spartans did not qualify since becoming a varsity sport in 1998. MSU has received nine team bids and received at-large berths for its varsity eight boat in both 1998 and 2001.

MSU tied its top finish at last year's regatta, finishing sixth. Both the varsity four and varsity eight boats also tied their best finishes at the event last season, placing fifth and sixth, respectively.

Last time out...
The Spartans placed third overall - and second in the central region - with 332 points at the Aramark South/Central Sprints, hosted by Tennessee on Melton Hill Lake. The Spartans' best finish at the event was the second varsity eight, which finished second overall after clocking in at 6:13.40, just 0.40 seconds behind first-place Virginia.

Virginia finished first overall in the team competition with 387 points while Michigan won the Central Region with 348 points and placed second overall. This season marks the ninth time that the Spartans have finished fifth or better at the South/Central Sprints since 1998.

Big Ten Champions...
MSU earned its second-straight Big Ten title - and third in five seasons - after accumulating 137 points on Griggs Reservoir in Columbus, Ohio, on May 2. Both MSU's varsity eight and second varsity eight earned top honors at the event, accounting for 105 of the team's 137 total points, helping them edge second-place Michigan, which finished with 126 points.

The Spartans became only the second team in Big Ten Championship history to win back-to-back team titles and the win by the varsity eight also marks the second-straight Big Ten title for that crew as well. The second varsity four and second novice eight also earned medals on the day, each taking home the bronze in their events.

Recapping the 2008 National Regatta...
Both the varsity eight and varsity four boats tied their best-ever finish at the 2008 NCAA Championship Regatta last season. The Spartans, who finished sixth in the team championship, tied their best-ever finish with 38 points. Yale won the varsity eight race, while Brown captured the team title for the second-straight season. Both MSU's varsity eight and varsity four competed in the grand finals; the four placed fifth, while the varsity eight took sixth. MSU's second varsity took 10th overall and was fourth in the petite final. The varsity eight took sixth. MSU's second varsity took 10th overall and was fourth in the Petite Final.

Spartans at the NCAA's: Repeat Rowers...
In all, 14 Spartan rowers have experience at the NCAA National Regatta, highlighted by senior Sarah Schmidt (Grosse Ile, Mich.), who will be rowing at her third National Regatta. Schmidt rowed as a member of second varsity eight in 2006 and sat in the sixth seat on the varsity eight boat at last year's championships. Seven of the nine seats on the varsity eight boat are occupied by NCAA experienced rowers. The only two newcomers to the crew are Kellie Lapointe (Grosse Ile, Mich.), who was a spare at the 2008 championships, and coxswain Amanda McGeachie (Sidney, British Columbia). A complete list of Spartan rowers with NCAA experience is located on page two.

Weise, Schmidt Honored by Big Ten...
For the second consecutive season, the Michigan State rowing program saw its head coach, Matt Weise, and one of its student-athletes take home the Big Ten's two most prestigious awards. Weise was honored as the Big Ten Coach of the Year while senior Sarah Schmidt (Grosse Ile, Mich.) was named Big Ten Athlete of the Year. This marks the third time in his five years at Michigan State that Weise has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year. It is also the first time that a coach has repeated as Big Ten Coach of the Year since Michigan's Mark Rothstein did so in 2000 and 2001.

Schmidt becomes the Spartans' fourth Big Ten Athlete of the Year - and second in a row - after former Spartan Anne Cowan was honored in 2008. Schmidt and Cowan are the first back-to-back Big Ten Athletes of the Year in program history. It is also the first time that a school has taken home back-to-back honors since UM's Erin Kopicki and Heather Mandoli took home the awards in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Schmidt also took home All-Big Ten First Team honors.

The Varsity Eight
Regular Season Dual Record: 8-0
Best NCAA National Regatta Finish: 6th (2006, 2008)
Big Ten Championship Finish: 1st
2009 South/Central Sprints Finish: 3rd
The first varsity eight has been one of the fastest boats in the nation heading into the National Regatta and come into the event ranked No. 7 in the nation. The crew was the first varsity eight in program history to enter the Big Ten Championships with an undefeated record, and they did so by winning every race by open water. The crew also claimed its second consecutive Big Ten title - and third overall - this season. The Spartan varsity eight has also spent every week ranked in the top three of the cMax rankings, which attempt to rank the fastest varsity eight boats in the nation. The varsity eight has the most NCAA Championship seasoning as seven of its nine members have NCAA Regatta experience. The varsity eight features two First Team All-Big Ten selections: Lauren Gamble (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Sarah Schmidt (Grosse Ile, Mich.); Schmidt was also honored as the Big Ten Athlete of the Year. Sophomore Laura Cowal (Thorold, Ontario), last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, rows in the stroke seat of the boat, giving the crew two major Big Ten award winners. The crew took third overall at the NCAA South/Central Sprints this season.

The Second Varsity Eight
Regular Season Dual Record: 7-1
Best NCAA National Regatta Finish: 4th (2002)
Big Ten Finish: 1st
2009 South/Central Sprints Finish: 2nd
The second varsity eight has been equally as impressive as the varsity eight this season as the crew clocked better times than four varsity eights at the Big Ten Championships, claiming the Big Ten title. The win earned the second varsity eight its first Big Ten title since 2003. The second varsity eight was also the Spartans' best finisher at the South/Central Sprints, placing second overall. The crew lost just one race during the regular season, and that loss came to Washington State. It was also the only 2V8 in the Big Ten to garner three All-Big Ten selections this season - Nancy Diehl (St. Clair Shores, Mich.), Amanda Dunnill (Flushing, Mich.) and Ashley Peach (St. John's, Newfoundland). Dunnill was named to the First Team while Diehl and Peach were both Second Team honorees. The second varsity eight owns the best finish - fourth - by any crew at the NCAA National Regatta, which came in 2002. The second varsity eight has five rowers with NCAA experience.

The Varsity Four
Regular Season Dual Record: 5-1
Best NCAA National Regatta Finish: 5th (2008)
2009 Big Ten Finish: 5th
2009 South/Central Sprints Finish: 10th
The varsity four was the Spartans' top finisher at the NCAA Regatta last season, tying its best-ever finish at the event after placing fifth. The varsity four finished the regular season with a 5-1 mark in dual competition; its only loss came to Wisconsin. Senior Sarah Kreft (Lansing, Mich.) is the only returning member of the varsity four from a season ago as Lauren Gamble, Ashley Peach and Nancy Diehl all moved into eights this season. The varsity four placed 10th at the South/Central Sprints.

More Awards for the Spartans...
Aside from Weise and Schmidt, several Spartans earned Big Ten accolades this season as five total student-athletes represented MSU on both the All-Big Ten First and Second Teams. Joining Schmidt on the first team were seniors Lauren Gamble (Commerce Township, Mich.) and Amanda Dunnill (Flushing, Mich.). Gamble rowed as a member of the first varsity eight at Big Tens while Dunnill anchored the second varsity eight. Earning spots on the second team were seniors Nancy Diehl and Ashley Peach. Diehl rowed as a member of the varsity eight while Peach sat in the bow seat on the second varsity eight. Ashley Wenneman was MSU's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

CRCA Regional Honors Announced...
Five members of the Michigan State rowing program earned spots on the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association's (CRCA) All-Central Regional team, highlighted by both Sarah Schmidt (Grosse Ile, Mich.) and Emily Regan (Williamsville, N.Y.), who have been named First Team All-Central Region. Three additional Spartans - Laura Cowal (Thorold, Ontario), Michelle Mussett (Dartmotuh, Nova Scotia) and coxswain Amanda McGeachie (Sidney, British Columbia) - were also named to the All-Central Region Second Team, giving MSU five total selections this season. This marks the second-straight season that the Spartans have had five members selected to the CRCA All-Region teams.

With the accolade, Schmidt has been honored as a first-team selection for the second-straight year while Regan, Cowal, Mussett and McGeachie all earned their first career CRCA Regional honors. Schmidt also becomes the first Spartan to be honored as a first-team selection in back-to-back seasons since Krista Buzzell and Rachel Miller each did so in 2001 and 2002.

All five of the Spartans selected to the CRCA All-Central Region teams have been key members of the Spartans' seventh-ranked varsity eight crew that claimed its second-consecutive Big Ten title this season.

These regional awards recognize the outstanding performances of rowers and coxswains from the Central Region. Nominated student-athletes are evaluated on the strength of their team's regional finish, coaches' recommendations and 2,000-meter erg score. Nominees must be eligible student-athletes who have competed in their team's varsity boat in 75 percent of races this season. These athletes will also be eligible for All-America awards following the NCAA Rowing Championships.

A look a this year's field...
Of the 16 teams at this year's National Regatta, the Spartans have faced six throughout the season - Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon State, Virginia and Wisconsin. The Spartans topped Oregon State in dual a competition on Griggs reservoir earlier this season and they finished ahead of Clemson at the South/Central Sprints. MSU also dominated Big Ten foes Ohio State and Wisconsin this season. MSU finished ahead of the Buckeyes at the Big Ten Championships and at the South/Central Sprints and they defeated Wisconsin at the Big Ten Double Dual and finished ahead of the them at both the Big Ten Championships and the South/Central Sprints.

MSU split its season series with Michigan, finishing ahead of the Wolverines at the Big Ten Championships and placing one spot behind them at the South/Central Sprints. The Spartans also finished two spots behind first-place Virginia at the South/Central Sprints. Of the 16 teams at the National Regatta, six are from the South/Central regions. Defending national champion Brown, California, Dartmouth, Radcliffe, Princeton, USC, Stanford, Washington and Yale round out the field of 16. This is the first year that all 16 teams will field a full three-boat squad.

Canadian Connection...
Michigan State associate head coach Christiina Tymoszewicz-Donley, now in her fourth season, has undeniably left her mark on the program. A Canadian, Tymoszewicz-Donley has scoured her home country, bringing in recruits who have directly impacted the Spartans. 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 hail from Canada. In all, seven MSU rowers call Canadian cities home. Former Spartan Anne Cowan, last year's Big Ten Athlete of the Year, is also Canadian.

Cooper River Park...
Cooper River Park is home to many prestigious rowing events. Ideal rowing conditions exist on the Cooper River which boasts a world-class, Olympic-distance, 2000-meter narrow and sheltered straightaway. It serves as the home of the EAWRC Eastern Sprints, and also in recent years as the host site for the IRA Men's National Championship Regatta, which this year will be held in California.

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 700 at the event.

A Little More Than a Decade of Excellence...
MSU has qualified for the NCAA National Championship Regatta in 11 of the last 12 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. MSU finished sixth at last year's championships, which tied the program's top finish.