University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Rowing To Make its First NCAA Championships Appearance
5/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
The NCAA has recognized rowing as a championship sport since 1997. Since that time, Brown holds four national titles, while Washington has three championships, including the inaugural year in 1997 and in 1998. California-Berkeley won the championship last year by four points over Virginia in Sacramento, Calif. Princeton, who is hosting the 2006 NCAA Rowing Championships, is currently ranked No. 1 in First Varsity Eight, followed by Cal-Berkeley, Southern California and Big Ten champion Ohio State. Minnesota, who finished second at the Big Ten Championships this year, is ranked currently ninth overall in the 1V8 May 10 poll.
Representing Minnesota at the NCAA Championships will be coxswain Megan Flannery, team captain Cheryl Wick, Berit Tomten, Jillian Casey, Jennifer Barnes, Laura Jatautaite, Vilma Stragyte, Erika Bartkute and Katie Biese.
“This has been a monumental year for our program,” head coach Wendy Davis said. “Each year we have continued to improve not only in the Big Ten, but in the nation. We have finally reached our ultimate goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships and I’m extremely proud of our student-athletes, who have worked so hard to get to here. Along with making our first national championship appearance, we have excelled out of the water with the ground-breaking of our boathouse. It has truly been a great season for Gopher rowing.”
TEAMS
Brown
California
Michigan State
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Princeton
Stanford
Tennessee
Washington
Washington State
Wisconsin
Yale
AT-LARGE EIGHTS
Boston U.
Minnesota
Southern California
UCLA
Players Mentioned
