March 27, 1998 CHARLOTTESVILLE — The University of Virginia women’s rowing program kicks off its spring season this Saturday, March 28, against Michigan and Ohio State, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Virginia celebrated its second year of varsity competition last season in grand style, losing only to eventual national champion Washington and placing an impressive fourth at the inaugural NCAA Championships. Coming into the 1998 season, the Cavaliers are ranked third in the women’s varsity eight poll and tied for third in the women’s lightweight eight poll.
Head coach Kevin Sauer is pleased about the team’s high ranking saying, “Our team is legitimate, but it’s the same with any poll, the rankings are determined on the water.”
Virginia has a strong, experienced base from which to work. UV returns seven of eight varsity eight rowers and coxswain Sarah Harrick this season. Senior co-captain Amy Burns highlights the returning rowers. Joining the line-up in the varsity eight is senior Cinda Ewton. Senior co-captain Jamie Leigh returns to the lightweight eight after a successful summer competing at the pre-elite level. Also returning are seven of eight second varsity eight rowers and all four varsity four rowers from a year ago. A solid fall season has been the precursor to successful spring seasons the past two years and the Cavaliers are coming off another strong performance last fall. Virginia had an impressive showing at the 1997 Princeton Chase in Princeton, N.J., placing first in the varsity eight and varsity four races, and third in the lightweight eight.
“We went into last year with confidence and high goals,” Sauer recalled. “We met those goals and this year the goal is to place even higher.”
With Cavalier rowers posting a 55-8 record in 1996 and a 55-5 record in 1997, further improvement will be hard earned. Throughout the preseason, assistant coach Erich Shuler felt positive about the upcoming season, “The girls feel pretty good. They were out on the water early and very consistent, which made the transition to the water easy.”
Virginia’s 1998 spring schedule is among the toughest in the nation, featuring a competition against defending national champion Washington in Seattle on May 2. The Huskies are the only team to beat the Cavaliers during the regular season the last two years. Among the other top teams Virginia faces this season are Brown, Princeton, and Massachusetts. The season concludes May 29-31 with the NCAA Championships in Gainesville, Ga.