University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Rowing 2003-04 Season Outlook
10/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
"The difference from this year to our first season in 2000-01 doesn't even begin to be described by the phrase night and day," head coach Wendy Davis said. "Our first practice four years ago we were only able to row a mile before the women were exhausted and completely ineffective. This year our first practice was a nine mile row, and we haven't looked back since. With our previous experience, we are now a solid contender in the Big Ten Conference. Our league is one of the strongest in the nation. If we can compete with those teams, we have a chance to make to make it to the national championship."
The Golden Gophers return 16 letterwinners from last year, five of which row in the First Varsity Eight boat. Leading the pack is two-time All-American Melissa Roche. As a junior, Roche earned second-team All-America honors, all-region and first-team All-Big Ten.
Following Roche is senior captain Heidi Rose. In her junior season, Rose earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after competing in every event for the Gophers. Jill Peters, Jackie Gagner and coxswain Katherine Nelson will also return after a successful season in the First Varsity Eight. All three participated in every event in the fall and spring seasons, including the Head of the Charles, the San Diego Crew Classic and the Big Ten Championships. These rowers will provide leadership to a young team.
Also returning from the varsity squad last year are 2V8+ members Mariel Gartner, Leah Gross, Andrea Pierce, Beth Ratterman, Lida Storch, Lora Sweezy and Alison Zylstra. "Our whole senior class is very strong and each woman will take on a different aspect of leadership," Davis said. "All the seniors are beginning this year with a level of rowing maturity that has been absent in the program. Melissa, Jill, Jackie and Heidi are all setting a work ethic standard that is top quality."
Minnesota's entire Varsity Four returns again this season, but will look to compete in Varsity Eight competition. The foursome started the season as novice members, but with stellar performances moved up to the First Varsity Four, lettering for the first time. Katie Biese, Jenna Buskohl, Meghan Johnson and Sarah Reed all competed at the Lexus Central/South Sprints and finished fourth in the Grand Final.
"The best thing about our varsity team is that we have tremendous depth," Davis said. "We have four strong rowers returning to First Varsity Eight action and an experienced coxswain. The other four spots are up for grabs. I am confident that we can put any of our varsity rowers in there and we will have a strong team."
Along with rowing experience for the Maroon and Gold, five members of the Gopher crew gained national recognition when they rowed for the Minneapolis Rowing Club. Gustafson, Nelson, Peters, Roche and Rose captured a gold medal in the Intermediate Eights event at the United States Rowing Association National Championships in Camden, NJ., in July of 2003.
The Gophers add four recruits to an already talented mix. Minnesota signed three rowers to national letters of intent during the early signing period. Rachel Hotkowski, Elizabeth Ponder and Tracey Tallman all have previous rowing experience, while competing for high school or club teams. Hotkowski earned four letters in rowing at Old Lyme High School in Old Lyme, Conn., and was a member of the Old Lyme Rowing Club. Ponder, a Cincinnati, Ohio native, was a four-year member of Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club and a two-time member of the Junior Women's Eight national championship teams. Tallman was a member of the Saratoga Springs High School team that won state titles in the 8+ event in 2002 and 2003. Minnesota added another recruit later in the year when the Gophers signed LIthuanian rower Erika Bartkute. As a member of the Lithuania Junior National Rowing Team, Bartkute competed for Lithuania at the World Junior Championships. She was a member of the three-time 8+ shell team at the Lithunaian national championship.
"Our new recruits have really solid upper class women to follow and learn from. They are catching on quickly and will be able to contribute to our Big Ten Championship effort." When head coach Wendy Davis started the rowing program in 2000, she knew it would take time to build a competitive team. Now entering her fourth season, Davis feels confident that the Golden Gophers have reached that point. With a strong corps of returning student-athletes and a talented freshman recruiting class, Minnesota looks to compete for the Big Ten Championships.
"The difference from this year to our first season in 2000-01 doesn't even begin to be described by the phrase night and day," head coach Wendy Davis said. "Our first practice four years ago we were only able to row a mile before the women were exhausted and completely ineffective. This year our first practice was a nine mile row, and we haven't looked back since. With our previous experience, we are now a solid contender in the Big Ten Conference. Our league is one of the strongest in the nation. If we can compete with those teams, we have a chance to make to make it to the national championship."
The Golden Gophers return 16 letterwinners from last year, five of which row in the First Varsity Eight boat. Leading the pack is two-time All-American Melissa Roche. As a junior, Roche earned second-team All-America honors, all-region and first-team All-Big Ten.
Following Roche is senior captain Heidi Rose. In her junior season, Rose earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after competing in every event for the Gophers. Jill Peters, Jackie Gagner and coxswain Katherine Nelson will also return after a successful season in the First Varsity Eight. All three participated in every event in the fall and spring seasons, including the Head of the Charles, the San Diego Crew Classic and the Big Ten Championships. These rowers will provide leadership to a young team.
Also returning from the varsity squad last year are 2V8+ members Mariel Gartner, Leah Gross, Andrea Pierce, Beth Ratterman, Lida Storch, Lora Sweezy and Alison Zylstra. "Our whole senior class is very strong and each woman will take on a different aspect of leadership," Davis said. "All the seniors are beginning this year with a level of rowing maturity that has been absent in the program. Melissa, Jill, Jackie and Heidi are all setting a work ethic standard that is top quality."
Minnesota's entire Varsity Four returns again this season, but will look to compete in Varsity Eight competition. The foursome started the season as novice members, but with stellar performances moved up to the First Varsity Four, lettering for the first time. Katie Biese, Jenna Buskohl, Meghan Johnson and Sarah Reed all competed at the Lexus Central/South Sprints and finished fourth in the Grand Final.
"The best thing about our varsity team is that we have tremendous depth," Davis said. "We have four strong rowers returning to First Varsity Eight action and an experienced coxswain. The other four spots are up for grabs. I am confident that we can put any of our varsity rowers in there and we will have a strong team."
Along with rowing experience for the Maroon and Gold, five members of the Gopher crew gained national recognition when they rowed for the Minneapolis Rowing Club. Gustafson, Nelson, Peters, Roche and Rose captured a gold medal in the Intermediate Eights event at the United States Rowing Association National Championships in Camden, NJ., in July of 2003.
The Gophers add four recruits to an already talented mix. Minnesota signed three rowers to national letters of intent during the early signing period. Rachel Hotkowski, Elizabeth Ponder and Tracey Tallman all have previous rowing experience, while competing for high school or club teams. Hotkowski earned four letters in rowing at Old Lyme High School in Old Lyme, Conn., and was a member of the Old Lyme Rowing Club. Ponder, a Cincinnati, Ohio native, was a four-year member of Cincinnati Junior Rowing Club and a two-time member of the Junior Women's Eight national championship teams. Tallman was a member of the Saratoga Springs High School team that won state titles in the 8+ event in 2002 and 2003. Minnesota added another recruit later in the year when the Gophers signed LIthuanian rower Erika Bartkute. As a member of the Lithuania Junior National Rowing Team, Bartkute competed for Lithuania at the World Junior Championships. She was a member of the three-time 8+ shell team at the Lithunaian national championship.
"Our new recruits have really solid upper class women to follow and learn from. They are catching on quickly and will be able to contribute to our Big Ten Championship effort."
