Rowing Heads To Big Ten Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
April 26, 2001
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%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 9 Ohio State women’s rowing team competes at the Big Ten Championships, hosted by No. 2 Michigan at Belleville Lake in Belleville, Mich., Saturday. Besides OSU and Michigan, three Big Ten programs are ranked in the Top 20 (No. 12 Michigan State, No. 13 Iowa, No. 16 Wisconsin). The total of five ties the Big Ten with the Ivy League for most nationally ranked teams by a conference.%^$
%^$BUCKEYES RANKED NO. 9
%^$OSU is ranked No. 9 nationally in the season’s fourth USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division I Varsity Eight Coaches Poll, dropping two spots from a program record No. 7 ranking in the first poll of the season. USRowing, in conjunction with the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) has conducted weekly polls for Women’s NCAA Division I Collegiate Varsity Eights throughout the season. Head coach Andy Teitelbaum said the ranking reflected what his team has done this season.%^$
%^$”We have had some strong performances, which kept us in the Top 10,” he said. “At the same time, we had some showings where I know we could have been stronger, which is why I think we dropped from the No. 7 slot.”%^$
%^$THE SEEDS
%^$OSU garnered a No. 2 seed in the first varsity eights, second varsity eights events and second varsity fours. The Buckeyes are seeded No. 3 in the first Varsity fours event and No. 4 in the first novice eight. Michigan is seeded No. 1 in all events.%^$
%^$”I’m glad we’re seeded where we are,” Andy Teitelbaum, OSU head coach, said. “I think the seeds reflect the season that we’ve had to date. Michigan deserves to be seeded where they are. They’ve showed themselves to be the class of the conference right now.%^$
%^$”Being seeded where we are gives us a great opportunity to move to the grand finales. Once you get to the grands, it’s just a question of who has what kind of race because there is a lot of tough teams in the Big Ten.”%^$
%^$HIGH EMOTIONS
%^$Teitelbaum expects his squad to be filled to the brim with emotion this weekend. He said the team will have to be in a conference championship.%^$
%^$”In general, we’re looking for our most aggressive, most emotional race so far. We’re getting into championship events, with the Big Ten and region, and hopefully the nationals,” Teitelbaum said. “When you get to this point of the season, everyone starts getting closer together in terms of margin. The emotion and focus that a crew brings to a championship event usually determines where it places. So, our goals are to be as aggressive and focused as we can, because at this point of the year, those are the aspects that separate who ends up on the medal stand and who doesn’t.”%^$
%^$WANTING MORE
%^$Teitelbaum said this season has been split into two halves for his squad, with both successes and failures he didn’t expect.%^$
%^$”We’ve had ups and downs,” he said. “We’re ranked ninth again (after moving up to seventh). We’ve beaten a lot of schools. We’ve also been beaten by a handful of strong programs by bigger margins than we expected, given the caliber of athletes we have in the boat. There have been two sides to the season. I think we definitely have more. I think we can be closer to the top, given the athletes we have. It’s just a matter of being able to get everything out of them before the season is over.”%^$
%^$GROWING UP NOW
%^$One of the major factors that has led to an inconsistent season, is the youth of his squad, Teitelbaum said. In the first varsity eight boat, there are five freshman and no seniors.%^$
%^$”One of the things that has showed up is our youth,” Teitelbaum said. “With five freshman and no seniors in the first boat, I think the understanding of the emotional intensity that you have to bring in collegiate racing, even with all the world-class experience we have in the shell, is just starting to come around.%^$
%^$”College racing in the United States is an extremely powerful, extremely emotional experience. These kids are learning. They’re incredibly talented. They have fantastic credentials, but I think their eyes have been opened. Hopefully, it’s a lesson they learn before they are sophomores.”%^$
%^$UP NEXT
%^$Saturday, May 5, OSU will compete at the Central Region Championships in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota also will be at the Central Region.%^$
