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April 6, 2006
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 6 Virginia women’s rowers host No. 12 Michigan State on Saturday, April 8 at the Rivanna Reservoir in the team’s only home event of the season.
The regatta is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. with the novice eight competition. The varsity four will compete at 9:20 a.m., followed by the second varsity eight at 9:40 a.m. The varsity eight will finish the competition with a 10 a.m. start time.
At 10:45 a.m., the team will dedicate two boats- one in honor of UVa Senior Associate Athletic Director Jane Miller and one for the Cavalier parents.
Both teams enter the competition after competing in the ACC/ Big Ten Challenge on April 1 in Columbus, Ohio. The Cavaliers won seven out of their 12 events, while Michigan State finished the competition winning five out of its 12 events.
Michigan State’s first varsity eight enters the race ranked 12th in the nation. The Spartans finished the 2005 season 10th at the NCAA Championships and were the 2005 Big Ten champions.
The novice competition will feature Charlottesville natives Bianca Spinosa (Western Albermarle HS) and Augusta Stratos (Charlottesville HS) in their first home event. Stratos will race in the Virginia A novice eight, while Spinosa will be a member of the Virginia B novice eight. The duo had outstanding prep swimming careers before coming to UVa. A second-year transfer from Tufts University, Spinosa qualified for the 2005 NCAA Division III Swimming Championships and was an All-NESCAC swimmer. A first-year student, Stratos was a four-year varsity letter winner and earned MVP swimming honors three times during her career at Charlottesville High School.
All action is free. Fans are asked to park at the boathouse (276 Woodlands Ave.) and take the free shuttle to the finish line at Monticello Wesleyan Church.