No. 4 Buckeyes Look for Fourth-Consecutive Central Region Crown – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
May 11, 2006
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The fourth-ranked Ohio State rowing team competes in the 2006 Aramark Central/South Region Championships Saturday and Sunday in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The University of Tennessee plays host to the event.
The Buckeyes are the three-time defending Central Region champions and are looking to become the first Big Ten champion to win the Central Region title since Michigan in 2001.
About the Regional
The regional championships are comprised of 21 teams from throughout the south and central areas of the country. Along with Ohio State, there are six other teams from the Big Ten (Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin).
The Buckeyes are competing in the first and second varisty eight, the first varsity four and the first novice eight races. There is also an “Open Four” event that will include both an Ohio State “A” and “B” squad.
OSU at the Central Regionals
Ohio State has won the Central Region championship the last three seasons. Last year, the Buckeyes finished second overall in the team standings with 366 points, six points behind champion Virginia. OSU was the top central team with Wisconsin taking second with 324 points. Both the first varsity eight and second varsity four won their Grand Finals while the second varsity eight finished second in its Grand Final.
Ohio State Earns Two No. 1 Seeds
Both Ohio State first and second varsity eight boats have earned No. 1 seeds in their respective races at the regional. The Buckeyes also were the No. 1 seeds in both of those races at the Big Ten championships, proving worthy when they won both Grand Finals.
Buckeyes 2006 Big Ten Champs
Ohio State won the 2006 Big Ten Championships April 29 at Lake Phalen in St. Paul, Minn., for the program’s second conference title. Both the first and second varsity eight boats, seeded No. 1 in their respective races, won their Grand Finals and the No. 2-seeded second varsity four placed second in its Grand Final as the Buckeyes led the point standings throughout the event.
Ohio State adds the 2006 trophy to its championship from 2002. The Buckeyes are just the second team, along with Michigan, to hold more than one Big Ten rowing championship. OSU finished with 130 points. Host school Minnesota was second with 121 points and Michigan State took third at 113.
Teitelbaum, Kossowsky Garner Big Ten Awards
OSU earned two Big Ten postseason rowing awards the conference announced May 4. Head coach Andy Teitelbaum was named co-coach of the year, sharing the award with Minnesota’s Wendy Davis. Senior Ninett Kossowsky, a First Team All-Big Ten honoree, was selected Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year, marking the second time a Buckeye has earned the award in program history.
Five Buckeyes Named All-Big Ten
Ohio State had five rowers named to All-Big Ten teams, the conference announced after the championships. Three Buckeyes were named to the first team, tying the most in program history. Ohio State also had two on the second team.
Seniors Ninett Kossowsky and Beth Tompkins as well as junior Annabelle Fago, all members of the Ohio State first varsity eight boat, were each named First Team All-Big Ten. It is the second-consecutive year Fago, who was the 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, has been named to the first team. It is also the second honor for Kossowsky, who was named to the second team last season. For Tompkins, it is the first conference award of her career.
Junior Jessica Shepherd and sophomore Gabriele Albertaviciute, also members of the first varsity eight, were selected to the second team for the first conference honors of either of their careers.
Senior Katie Machingo, who rows with the second varsity four boat, was named the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient for Ohio State.
Tough Competition
Ohio State is No. 4 in the latest USRowing/CRCA Poll Varsity Eight poll released May 10. It is the highest the Buckeyes have been ranked during the season and matches the ranking OSU received in the preseason poll. It is the sixth-consecutive week Ohio State has been in the Top 7.
Ohio State is one of five Big Ten teams ranked in the poll, along with No. 6 Michigan, No. 9 Minnesota, No. 14 Michigan State and No. 20 Wisconsin.
Back-To-Back Big Ten Boat of the Week
Ohio State garnered its second-consecutive conference honor when the Buckeyes’ second varsity eight was named Big Ten Boat of the Week, the conference announced April 11. The Buckeyes topped USC April 8 in the morning by more than eight seconds, clocking in at 6:31.30 while the Trojans finished at 6:39.32. In the afternoon, OSU won its second race with a time of 6:26.97 to Tennessee’s 6:32.37.
Ohio State’s first varsity eight boat was named Big Ten Boat of the Week for April 4. The Buckeyes upset No. 3 Virginia in their morning dual. In the second session of the day, OSU defeated both No. 13 Michigan State and Duke to conclude the event. Ohio State posted a time of 6:34.20, the best varsity eight time of the entire regatta.
We’re Going Streaking
After struggling out of the gates with three losses at the season-opening Windermere Classic, the Ohio State second varsity eight boat tallied a six-race win streak over the final three regattas of the regular season. The 2V8 boat won its last six regular-season races by at least five seconds, defeating Virginia, Michigan State, and Duke (April 1), USC and Tennessee (April 8) and Oregon State and Minnesota twice (April 15).
The No. 1-seeded Buckeyes then extended their race win streak to seven when they finished first in the 2V8 Grand Final at the Big Ten championships.
Spanning the Globe
The 2006 Ohio State rowing roster consists of student-athletes from around the world. The 35 members of the team are from eight countries, including the United States. Germany has the largest representation from outside the U.S. with eight rowers. There also are Buckeyes from Australia, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and South Africa.
The U.S. Buckeyes represent six different states. There are 16 Ohio natives, with athletes also from Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Next up for the Buckeyes
Ohio State looks for its seventh-consecutive NCAA championships appearance when the field is announced May 16. The 2006 Championships will be hosted by Princeton and Rutgers May 26-28 at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J.
