April 6, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame Lightweight Eight boat is ranked 17th nationally in this week’s USRowing National Collegiate Rowing Coaches Poll.

The boat earned the ranking after finishing first against boats from Creighton and Michigan State in a recent tri-meet. The Irish nine-member boat finished with a time of 7:30.91, outdistancing the crew team from Creighton, which finished in 7:42.59. Heading into the meet, Creighton’s Lightweight Eight boat was ranked 12th nationally.

The top 20 lightweight eight boats ranked in order are: 1. Princeton, 2. Villanova 3. Virginia, 4. Wisconsin, 5. Radcliffe, 6. UC-Davis, 7. George Washington, 8. Massachusetts, 9. Humboldt, t10. Georgetown and St. Joseph’s, 12. San Diego, 13. San Diego State, t14. Oregon and Seattle Pacific, 16. Creighton, 17. NOTRE DAME, 18. St. Mary’s, 19. California and 20. Brown.

Rowing, in its first season of varsity competition at Notre Dame, became the school’s 26th varsity sport and 13th women’s sport offering this fall.