April 7, 2004
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s rowing team climbed three spots to 17th in this week’s USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) NCAA Division I Varsity Eight Coaches Poll released today. The Irish were not ranked in the preseason poll, but were 20th in the March 31st ranking (the first poll of the season).
Ohio State maintained the top spot with 396 points after earning 17 first-place votes. The Buckeyes were followed by California (369), Princeton (361), Brown (322), Harvard (297), Virginia (286), Washington (284), Michigan (280), Yale (255) and Michigan State (220).
The second half of the poll starts with Tennessee at No. 11 with 216 points, followed by Washington State (181), Cornell (145), Wisconsin (141), Boston University (113), Southern California (111), NOTRE DAME (70), Syracuse (55), Texas (37) and Duke (27).
Notre Dame’s move in the ranking comes after the varsity eight’s performance last weekend at the San Diego Crew Classic. The Irish boat qualified for the finals of the prestigious Jessop-Whittier Cup and then rowed to a seventh-place finish in the championship race.
The Irish continue competition this weekend when they travel to Indianapolis, Ind., for the Indiana Classic on Saturday, April 10.
“I’m obviously very pleased that we were able to move up in this week’s poll,” Irish head coach Martin Stone says. “However, we know we have a lot of work to do from now until the Central Regionals in order to achieve our goal of being one of the top-16 boats to qualify for the NCAAs. We have already faced this season eight boats currently ranked in the top-20. From now until the Central Regionals in May, we will row against 10 teams that are in the poll.”
2004 USRowing/CRCA Ranking – March 7, 2004
1. Ohio State (17) 396
2. California (3) 369
3. Princeton 361
4. Brown 322
5. Harvard 297
6. Virginia 286
7. Washington 284
8. Michigan 280
9. Yale 255
10. Michigan State 220
11. Tennessee 216
12. Washington State 181
13. Cornell 145
14. Wisconsin 141
15. Boston University 113
16. Southern California 111
17. NOTRE DAME 70
18. Syracuse 55
19. Texas 37
20. Duke 27