Women's Crews Finish 9th in First NCAA Appearance
May 30, 1999 | Women's Rowing
The Terrier women's varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four crews combined to score 17 points, as the Terriers finished 9th at the NCAA Women's Crew Championships held May 28-30 at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, California. It marked B.U.'s first appearance ever in the NCAA event. The Terriers won the 1991 and 1992 national championships, but that was before it was an NCAA Championship event.
Of the three crews entered, the varsity fours fared the best as they were seventh. The first varsity was eighth, while the second varsity was ninth.
Both Brown and Virginia tied with 56 points, but Brown was awarded the team championship by virtue of its better finish in the varsity eight grande final. The Bears, who had won the Eastern Sprints on May 16th, rowed to nearly a four-second win over the Cavaliers at the NCAAs. Brown was clocked in 6:46.89, while Virginia covered the 2000-meter course in 6:50.50.
"I was very proud of our varsity," Terrier head coach Holly Hatton was quoted as saying following her team's runnerup finish to Michigan in the Petite Finals of the Varsity Heavyweight regatta. "We certainly didn't come in as one of the top-ranked teams, and our goal was to be in the top 12, and we certainly broke into that."
B.U. was forced to row four races during three-day regatta. As was the case with all 13 of the teams that were entered in the varsity heavyweight race, the Terriers rowed on Friday morning. Matched in a heat with Princeton, Michigan, Harvard, Michigan State, and Oregon State, the Terriers finished fourth in a time of 7:10.86. Princeton and Michigan finished one-two, respectively, and earned a berth in Saturday's semifinals. In the meantime, the other four crews joined nine other boats to row in the Friday afternoon repechage.
Rowing in the second of two heats, B.U. was pitted against Virginia, Southern California, Wisconsin, Oregon State, and UCal/Davis. The top three finishers would qualify for Saturday's repechage semifinals.
Rowing one of their best races of the season, the Terriers finished in third with a time of 7:06.0, just 1.8 seconds slower than heat winner Virginia (7:04.20), and four-tenths of a second behind USC (7:05.60)
As it turned out, B.U.'s biggest challenge was not another crew. Instead, it was from an unexpected obstacle on the course-a duck.
"Actually, we hit a duck with an oar," said Hatton.
Obviously, the natural habitat of the picturesque Lake was not about to give up its space-an NCAA championship or no NCAA championship.
"Our coxswain instinctively swerved which led to a surge," said Hatton.
It was during this surge midway through the race that the Terriers jumped to third place.
"We are a gutsy crew and this is what you need to succeed at this level," said Hatton after her team's comeback from striking the duck to finishing third in the heat. "I was a little concerned at the start of the race because we have not had much success when racing with a headwind. However, we got off to a great start and were able to hang in there."
The third-place finish earned B.U. a spot in Saturday morning's first of two heats in the varsity eight semifinals. The top three finishers advanced to Sunday's Grand Finals, while the other three boats rowed in the Petite Finals. The Terriers finished sixth in a time of 7:13.2, as they were outdistanced by Brown, Washington, Virginia, Michigan, and Dartmouth. Virginia, who wound up third in the heat and thus advanced to the Grand Finals, was timed in 6:56.0. In the meantime, Dartmouth, which finished just ahead of the Terriers in fifth place, turned in a time of 7:09.0.
"Let's just say it wasn't our best effort," Hatton said after the racing. "I think the conditions are pretty difficult for my crew just because they're not terribly big. Out in lane six (the Terriers' lane), they said they were definitely struggling.
"At the starting line, the water was actually splashing up over the stake boat," continued Hatton. "Part of this sport is to not let the conditions get to you, but there is a certain part at which I think you have no control over that.
"They know they didn't race a great race, but they've got a lot of spirit." It was this spirit that carried the Terriers through the Petite Finals. Rowing against Michigan, Northeastern, Michigan State, Dartmouth, and USC, B.U. finished second, two seconds slower than Michigan. On the plus side, they rowed past archrival Northeastern (6:55.39), Michigan State (6:56.70), Dartmouth (7:00.00) and Southern Cal (7:01.60).
The second varsity and varsity four followed suit of the varsity heavyweight crew, as they, too, rowed in the Petite Finals.
The second varsity finished third in their Petites, and ninth overall, with a time of 7:15.20. California (6:59.70) won the Petites, followed, in order by Harvard (7:08.39), the Terriers, and Wisconsin (7:16.20).
The varsity four won its Petites with an impressive time of 7:47.39. The closest competitor was Princeton, which was clocked in 7:56.29.
What is interesting to note about the Terriers' winning time is that if it had been in the varsity four Grande Final race, B.U. would have finished fourth overall. Washington won the event with a 7:34.50. Following the Huskies were Virginia (7:40.20) and Brown (7:41.89). Michigan was fourth in a time of 7:48.20, almost a second slower than the Terriers' time in the Petites.
Results of NCAA Women's Rowing Championships May 28-30, 1999 Lake Natoma, Rancho Cordova, CA
Team Scoring Brown 56 Virginia 56 Washington 42 Princeton 36 Michigan 35 California 33 Harvard 27 Michigan State 18 BOSTON UNIVERSITY 17 Wisconsin 10Brown won the team title based on a better finish over Virginia in the Grande Final of the varsity eight.
Varsity Fours Grande Final
Washington 7:34.50 Virginia 7:40.20 Brown 7:41.89 Michigan 7:48.20 Harvard 7:52.50 Wisconsin 7:58.79
Petite Final BOSTON UNIVERSITY 7:47.39 Princeton 7:56.29 Michigan State 8:02.79 California 8:10.50
Second Varsity Grande Final Virginia 6:50.79 Brown 6:53.29 Michigan 6:55.20 Washington 6:55.39 Princeton 7:03.20 Michigan State 7:09.39
Petite Final California 6:59.70 Harvard 7:08.39 BOSTON UNIVERSITY 7:15.20 Wisconsin 7:16.20
Varsity Eight Grande Final Brown 6:46.89 Virginia 6:50.50 California 6:51.79 Princeton 6:52.00 Washington 6:55.29 Harvard 7:02.79
Petite Final Michigan 6:51.79 BOSTON UNIVERSITY 6:53.79 Northeastern 6:55.39 Michigan State 6:56.70 Dartmouth 7:00.00 Southern California 7:01.60
