University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Rowing Gears Up for Big Ten Championships
4/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The University of Minnesota rowing team travels to Bloomington, Ind., to compete in the 2005 Big Ten Championships. The festivities are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Lake Lemon. The Gophers will travel their full squad, competing in all six events. The No. 15 First Varsity Eight boat will compete in Heat 1 at 10:30. If the Gophers have the fourth- fastest time, they advance to the Grand Final, which is slated for 2:45 p.m.
Order of Events
Saturday’s events will start with a Second Novice Eight heat at 8 a.m. The First Varsity Eight Grand Final is slated for a 2:45 p.m. start. Listed below are Saturday’s order of events.
Race 2nd Novice Eights: Heats 1 & 2, 8:00, 8:15 Petite: Noon, Grand: 12:15 1st Novice Eights: Heats 1 & 2, 8:30, 8:45 Petite: 12:30, Grand: 12:45 2nd Varsity Fours: Heats 1 & 2: 9:00, 9:15 Petite: 1:00, Grand: 1:15 1st Varsity Fours: Heats 1 & 2: 9:30, 9:45 Petite: 1:30, Grand: 1:45 2nd Varsity Eights: Heats 1 & 2: 10:00, 10:15 Petite: 2:00, Grand: 2:15 1st Varsity Eights: Heat 1 & 2, 10:30, 10:45 Petite: 2:30, Grand: 2:45 Big Ten Point System
The Big Ten championship is based on a point system. Each team will earn points by their placing in an event. The First Varsity Eight shell will receive the most points. The winner of the 1V8 race will earn 63 points, followed by the second-place team with 54 points. The full breakdown of points is listed below:
Event Points (From first to last) I Varsity Eight 63, 54, 45, 36, 27, 18, 9 II Varsity Eight 42, 36, 30, 24, 18, 12, 6 I Varsity Four 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3 I Novice Eight 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 II Novice Eight 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 II Varsity Four 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Gophers in the Big Ten Seedings
The Gophers earned a No. 5 seed in the First Varsity Eight race. Michigan earned the top seed in the event. Minnesota is seeded sixth in the Second Varsity Eight and fifth in both the First and Second Varsity Four races. Minnesota’s highest seed of the Big Ten Championships is the second seed in the First and Second Novice Eight races.
Gophers Ranked for First Time in School History
For the first year in school history, the Gophers have been ranked in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association poll. The First Varsity Eight is ranked No. 15 in the only poll to rank women's varsity rowing programs nationwide. The Gophers have been ranked in the top 20 for four straight weeks. The Golden Gophers, whose program started in the 2000-01 season, have received votes in the past, but it the first time Minnesota has broken into the top 20. Minnesota is one of six Big Ten teams to be ranked in the top 20. Michigan is ranked No. 3, Ohio State is ranked fourth, while Michigan State is ranked seventh. Wisconsin is currently ranked 14th, while Iowa currently sits at No. 20.
Big Ten History
The Big Ten has recognized rowing as a conference sport since the 2000 season. The First Big Ten champion in the sport was Michigan. Since the start, the Wolverines have won the league championship, including last year’s in Iowa City, Iowa. Ohio State is the only other team to win the championship, set in 2002.
This Time Last Year
Minnesota finished the Big Ten Championships in fifth place last season. The Gophers won the Petite Final in the First Varsity Eight and the Second Varsity Eight races. The Gophers won the First Novice Eight Grand Final, defeating Michigan State by more than eight seconds.
All-Big Ten Honors
Following the Big Ten Championships, the league will announce its first and second All-Big Ten Team, the athlete of the year, coach of the year and freshman of the year. Beth Hornby was the Gophers’ first All-Big Ten honoree, while Melissa Roche earned the honor in 2002, 03 and 04. Amber Riopel, Erin Streff, Heidi Rose and Jackie Gagner all earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.
On The Docket
Following a week off, the Gophers will then travel to Oak Ridge, Tenn., to compete in the Central Regions, May 14-15.
Lithuanian Connection
The Gophers have three rowers in the First Varsity Eight that hail from Lithuania. Erika Bartkute, Laura Jatautaite and Vilma Stragyte all competed with the Lithuanian Junior National Rowing Team. Bartkute and Stragyte competed last year with the Gophers and it is Jatautaite’s first year with the Maroon and Gold.
Oh Captain, My Captain
Senior Andrea Pierce has the role of the Gophers’ captain. Pierce has competed in every varsity event this season in both the First Varsity and Second Varsity Eight.
Boat Dedication
The Gophers introduced their newest boat in the Gophers’ last home event against UCLA and SMU. The Gary L Olson boat helped the Gophers win against the Bruins and Mustangs last Saturday. A donation from Deborah Olson was given to the University of Minnesota in honor of her late husband, Gary Olson. Gary Olson was a sportswriter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press for 32 years. Olson was an advocate for covering a variety of Gopher women’s athletic programs. During his tenure, Olson covered women’s soccer, men’s and women’s hockey, volleyball, rowing, and men’s and women’s basketball. Along with reporting at the college scene, Gary also covered the NHL, the Minnesota North Stars and the Minnesota Wild. Deborah Olson, has donated money in Gary’s name toward not only the shell, but added funding to the Gophers’ future boathouse. Deborah is an active supporter of women’s sports at Minnesota. She helped fund the soccer stadium, named after her mother, Elizabeth Lyle Robbie, and has established two scholarships for women student-athletes. Not only has Deborah added personal funding, but has also helped lobby for state funding for other Gopher facilities across campus. Gophers Head to Big Tens
The University of Minnesota rowing team travels to Bloomington, Ind., to compete in the 2005 Big Ten Championships. The festivities are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on Lake Lemon. The Gophers will travel their full squad, competing in all six events. The No. 15 First Varsity Eight boat will compete in Heat 1 at 10:30. If the Gophers have the fourth- fastest time, they advance to the Grand Final, which is slated for 2:45 p.m.
Order of Events
Saturday’s events will start with a Second Novice Eight heat at 8 a.m. The First Varsity Eight Grand Final is slated for a 2:45 p.m. start. Listed below are Saturday’s order of events.
Race 2nd Novice Eights: Heats 1 & 2, 8:00, 8:15 Petite: Noon, Grand: 12:15 1st Novice Eights: Heats 1 & 2, 8:30, 8:45 Petite: 12:30, Grand: 12:45 2nd Varsity Fours: Heats 1 & 2: 9:00, 9:15 Petite: 1:00, Grand: 1:15 1st Varsity Fours: Heats 1 & 2: 9:30, 9:45 Petite: 1:30, Grand: 1:45 2nd Varsity Eights: Heats 1 & 2: 10:00, 10:15 Petite: 2:00, Grand: 2:15 1st Varsity Eights: Heat 1 & 2, 10:30, 10:45 Petite: 2:30, Grand: 2:45 Big Ten Point System
The Big Ten championship is based on a point system. Each team will earn points by their placing in an event. The First Varsity Eight shell will receive the most points. The winner of the 1V8 race will earn 63 points, followed by the second-place team with 54 points. The full breakdown of points is listed below:
Event Points (From first to last) I Varsity Eight 63, 54, 45, 36, 27, 18, 9 II Varsity Eight 42, 36, 30, 24, 18, 12, 6 I Varsity Four 21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3 I Novice Eight 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 II Novice Eight 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 II Varsity Four 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Gophers in the Big Ten Seedings
The Gophers earned a No. 5 seed in the First Varsity Eight race. Michigan earned the top seed in the event. Minnesota is seeded sixth in the Second Varsity Eight and fifth in both the First and Second Varsity Four races. Minnesota’s highest seed of the Big Ten Championships is the second seed in the First and Second Novice Eight races.
Gophers Ranked for First Time in School History
For the first year in school history, the Gophers have been ranked in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association poll. The First Varsity Eight is ranked No. 15 in the only poll to rank women's varsity rowing programs nationwide. The Gophers have been ranked in the top 20 for four straight weeks. The Golden Gophers, whose program started in the 2000-01 season, have received votes in the past, but it the first time Minnesota has broken into the top 20. Minnesota is one of six Big Ten teams to be ranked in the top 20. Michigan is ranked No. 3, Ohio State is ranked fourth, while Michigan State is ranked seventh. Wisconsin is currently ranked 14th, while Iowa currently sits at No. 20.
Big Ten History
The Big Ten has recognized rowing as a conference sport since the 2000 season. The First Big Ten champion in the sport was Michigan. Since the start, the Wolverines have won the league championship, including last year’s in Iowa City, Iowa. Ohio State is the only other team to win the championship, set in 2002.
This Time Last Year
Minnesota finished the Big Ten Championships in fifth place last season. The Gophers won the Petite Final in the First Varsity Eight and the Second Varsity Eight races. The Gophers won the First Novice Eight Grand Final, defeating Michigan State by more than eight seconds.
All-Big Ten Honors
Following the Big Ten Championships, the league will announce its first and second All-Big Ten Team, the athlete of the year, coach of the year and freshman of the year. Beth Hornby was the Gophers’ first All-Big Ten honoree, while Melissa Roche earned the honor in 2002, 03 and 04. Amber Riopel, Erin Streff, Heidi Rose and Jackie Gagner all earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.
On The Docket
Following a week off, the Gophers will then travel to Oak Ridge, Tenn., to compete in the Central Regions, May 14-15.
Lithuanian Connection
The Gophers have three rowers in the First Varsity Eight that hail from Lithuania. Erika Bartkute, Laura Jatautaite and Vilma Stragyte all competed with the Lithuanian Junior National Rowing Team. Bartkute and Stragyte competed last year with the Gophers and it is Jatautaite’s first year with the Maroon and Gold.
Oh Captain, My Captain
Senior Andrea Pierce has the role of the Gophers’ captain. Pierce has competed in every varsity event this season in both the First Varsity and Second Varsity Eight.
Boat Dedication
The Gophers introduced their newest boat in the Gophers’ last home event against UCLA and SMU. The Gary L Olson boat helped the Gophers win against the Bruins and Mustangs last Saturday. A donation from Deborah Olson was given to the University of Minnesota in honor of her late husband, Gary Olson. Gary Olson was a sportswriter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press for 32 years. Olson was an advocate for covering a variety of Gopher women’s athletic programs. During his tenure, Olson covered women’s soccer, men’s and women’s hockey, volleyball, rowing, and men’s and women’s basketball. Along with reporting at the college scene, Gary also covered the NHL, the Minnesota North Stars and the Minnesota Wild. Deborah Olson, has donated money in Gary’s name toward not only the shell, but added funding to the Gophers’ future boathouse. Deborah is an active supporter of women’s sports at Minnesota. She helped fund the soccer stadium, named after her mother, Elizabeth Lyle Robbie, and has established two scholarships for women student-athletes. Not only has Deborah added personal funding, but has also helped lobby for state funding for other Gopher facilities across campus.
