No. 1 Virginia Rowing Travels to Face No. 3 California and No. 4 Stanford This Weekend

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CHARLOTTESVILLE – Top-ranked Virginia will get its spring season underway when the Cavalier rowing team travels to Redwood Shores, Calif., this weekend for races against No. 3 California and No. 4 Stanford.

Virginia will compete against the Cardinal on Saturday (March 26) and California on Sunday (March 27). Both races begin at noon eastern time.

Virginia is the reigning NCAA Champion and its Varsity Four also won the national championship last season. UVa also won its fourth-consecutive South/Central Regional Championship and its 10th ACC Championship in 2010.

On March 16, the Cavaliers earned a preseason No. 1 ranking from the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association).

UVa head coach Kevin Sauer returns for his 16th season and was named the CRCA’s 2010 National Coach of the Year. Sauer has guided Virginia to 14 appearances in the NCAA Championships and seven UVa boats have been crowned NCAA Champions during his tenure.

Senior Claudia Blandford and juniors Sarah Borchelt and Martha Kuzzy have been named captains for this season.

Stanford finished fourth at the 2010 NCAA Championships and is currently ranked No. 4 in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) preseason poll.

Cal was the runner-up at the NCAA Championship last year in Sacramento.

The Cavaliers are coming off of a successful scrimmage against Michigan State two weeks ago. Following this weekend’s competition, Virginia will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for races against Ohio State and Michigan on April 3.