March 5, 2010
By Brittany Dixon
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF novice rowing team will open its 2010 season Saturday, as it will participate in five events at the Metro Cup in nearby Winter Park. The event, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m., is hosted by Rollins College.
UCF will race in five events against Rollins, Duquesne and Villanova, with UCF's club team also scheduled to participate.
The novice 4 `A' and 4 `B' squads will start things off for the Black and Gold during the event, with the gun set to go off for their races at 8:30 a.m. and 8:40 a.m., respectively. The second varsity four will follow at 8:50 a.m., before the varsity four gets underway at 9:20 a.m.
UCF's second varsity eight shoves off at 9:50 a.m., and the varsity eight event closes out the regatta at 10:30 a.m.
The squad's appearance in the regatta on Lake Maitland will be its 14th since its inaugural showing in 1996.
In 2009, four of the Knights' novice boats competed in the regatta against both Rollins and Villanova. The varsity 8+ boat received first-place honors with a time of 7:07.9, which was UCF's 12th-straight victory in the event.
In addition to the first-place showing by the varsity eight squad, the Knights also had two third-place finishes in the varsity four "A" and "B" events, which allowed them to be named the overall-points champion at the event.
Over the last 13 years, UCF has totaled 37 victories while competing at the Metro Cup.
Collegiate novice events are limited to college scullers, rowers and coxswains in NCAA programs who have been competing for one year or less as of the Regatta Day. Experience in sculling events does not count as experience in sweep events and vice versa. Previous junior/high school rowing experience is allowed in this category.
Following the Metro Cup, the Knights will continue their tough schedule with a showing in the Longhorn Invitational in Austin, Texas.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
-UCF-