Oct. 4, 2007
Complete 2007-08 Schedule in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Aiming for its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships, the UCF women's rowing team announced on Thursday its 2007-08 schedule, which features a range of strong local, regional and national regattas.
The Knights' first taste of competition comes Saturday, Oct. 13, three weeks earlier than in previous seasons, as the varsity eight and second varsity eight race at the Head of the Oklahoma.
"With only a couple of weeks on the water, we will be relying on overall fitness more than technique early in the fall season," said head coach Leeanne Crain, who is entering her fifth year at the helm of the UCF program. "The athletes are working hard at this point, competing for seats in one of the two line-ups that will make the trip to the Oklahoma Centennial Regatta. We will have a little more time to prepare for the Head of the Hooch, which falls the first weekend in November."
In addition to both the open and lightweight squads racing at the Head of the Hooch from Nov. 3-4, the UCF novices - now under the guidance of second-year assistant Andy Derrick, compete at the Hatter Classic on Oct. 27 as part of the fall campaign.
After earning an at-large bid to the 2007 NCAA Championships in the varsity eight event, the UCF coaching staff organized another strong schedule for the spring in anticipation of securing a team berth for the 2008 NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif.
"Our spring schedule will have us facing many of the top programs in the country," said Crain. "Our success against Top-20 opponents paid off last year, so we know the importance of big wins throughout the regular season."
Starting their quest with the Longhorn Invitational from Mach 21-23, the Knights then host a dual race against Miami at their home facility on Lake Pickett on March 29. UCF also makes a return trip to the Virginia Invitational and competes in the Stanford Invitational before heading to the South/Central Sprints from May 17-18. The team's finish there will help determine its postseason fate.
Meanwhile, the lightweight crew kicks off the spring in nearby Winter Park, Fla., with the Metro Cup on March 1 followed by a three-way race with Villanova and Rollins on March 8. The Knights continue their season at the Petrakis Cup in Jacksonville, Fla. on March 29 and the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championships in mid-April. They cap off the year at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships from June 6-7 in Philadelphia.
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pics.