Rowing At Southern Intercollegiate Championships
4/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Rowing team heads into the postseason this weekend at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Championships in Oakridge, Tenn., on Melton Lake.
Alabama will race two Varsity 8+ boats, a Novice 8+ as well as a Varsity and Novice 4+ boat at the two-day event that gets underway at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Lake Melton Rowing Venue. The Crimson Tide is coming off a strong showing in less than ideal conditions in its regular season finale at Murray State last weekend.
"The Oakridge course is a friendly course, much friendlier than the one we saw in Kentucky last weekend," Alabama head coach Larry Davis said. "We're going to need to be on the top of our game if we want to reach our goal for the Southern Rowing Championships, which is to medal. Last year we finaled, but didn't quite reach the speed we needed to win medals."
The Tide will face such southern powers as Louisville, Central Florida and Tennessee this weekend.
"We were able to put in the fastest times of the season against Murray State and we're looking to be faster this weekend," Davis said. "And we'll need it because the level of competition there will be very high."
Alabama's First Varsity 8+ boat is made up of coxswain Bailey Sanders along with Bryn Crawford, McKenna Frease, Victoria Croy, Nikki Lopez, Cara Allison, Marge Strojny, Stacey Ogle and Leigh Ann Lazarus while the Second Varsity 8+ crew consists of coxswain Cathryn Whitlock and Sarah Witt, Katie Spohr, Tacoma Morrissey, Jess Autrey, Katie Tippey, Jessy Scivley, Sarah Beaver and Rachel Justiss.
Alabama's Novice 8+ is made up of coxswain Amy Allison and Laura Skaggs, Amelia Houghton, Daniella Barone, Ebony Smith, Shanna Young, Kristy Bearden, Helen Barnes and Sara Leibold.
The Tide's Varsity 4+ is made up of coxswain Alyssa Dinberg and Lauren Miller, Katie Smith, Rachel Roberts and Camille Campbell while the Novice 4+ starts with coxswain Alyssa Dinberg and Lauren Miller, Katie Smith, Rachel Roberts and Camille Campbell.
"I think if our crews put forth their `A' performance this weekend, we might just come away with a gold medal," Davis said.
Players Mentioned
