University of Louisville
at Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships
Cards Successfully Defend Varsity 8+ Title at SIRA Championships
April 16, 2006 | Rowing
April 15, 2006
OAK, RIDGE, Tenn. - The pressure of being the defending champion and top seeded crew in the Varsity 8+ event didn't bother the University of Louisville rowing team as the Cards successfully defended their 2005 V8+ title, won two more event titles and earned the overall women's team trophy at the 2006 Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships Friday and Saturday at Melton Hill Lake.
With the target of being the defending champions in the Varsity 8+ race, the Cards handled the pressure in impressive fashion completing the 2,000-meter course in a time of 6 minutes, 50.7 seconds, nearly five seconds clear of second place Sacramento State at 6:55.2. Miami was third at 6:57.2 followed by Kansas State at 7:00.3, Kansas at 7:03.2 and North Carolina in sixth at 7:10.8.
"We rowed very well this weekend and it's an honor to win three event titles and the overall team title at event like this," said U of L head coach Richard Ruggieri. "This was a tough competition with some great crews. Winning the team trophy is a great addition to our program and I think it reflects very positively on the depth and continued improvement of our Louisville rowing."
Louisville also won the Junior Varsity 8+ "A" Final to sweep the women's varsity 8+ events as the Cardinal crew completed the course with a time of 6:58.1 and was followed by second-place Kansas at 7:04.0. Miami was third at 7:07.4 followed by Cal-Sacramento at 7:09.7, Cincinnati in fifth at 7:17.2 and North Carolina in sixth at 7:18.3.
The Cardinal rowing team's third SIRA title came in the Freshman/Novice Lightweight 4+ "A" Final as U of L completed the course in a time of 8:15.4, more than 35 seconds clear of second-place Jacksonville at 8:52.0, while Tampa was third at 8:56.0.
Along with the three event titles, the Cards also earned a third-place finish in the Doubles "A" Final, a fifth-place finish in the Freshman/Novice 8+ "A" Final and a sixth-place finish in the Freshman/Novice 4+ "A" Final to clinch the program's first overall team title at the SIRA Championships.
Up next, the Cards will have a week away from competition to prepare for the program's first-ever conference championship regatta, the BIG EAST Championships on April 30 in Worchester, Mass.
2006 SIRA Championships - ResultsMelton Hill Lake - Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Saturday Race Results
Varsity 8+ "A" Final1. LOUISVILLE 6:50.72. Sacramento State 6:55.23. Miami 6:57.24. Kansas State 7:00.35. Kansas 7:03.26. North Carolina 7:10.8
Junior Varsity 8+ "A" Final1. LOUISVILLE 6:58.12. Kansas 7:04.03. Miami 7:07.44. Cal-Sacramento 7:09.75. Cincinnati 7:17.26. North Carolina 7:18.3
Freshman/Novice Lightweight 4+ "A" Final1. LOUISVILLE 8:15.42. Jacksonville 8:52.03. Tampa 8:56.0
Doubles "A" Final1. Rollins 9:04.82. Stetson 9:11.53. LOUISVILLE 9:12.44. Tampa 9:14.35. Charleston 9:14.56. Cincinnati 9:49.1
Freshman/Novice 8+ "A" Final1. Kansas State 7:15.22. Kansas 7:20.03. North Carolina 7:25.74. Cincinnati 7:31.55. LOUISVILLE 7:33.16. Purdue 7:36.27. Tennessee 7:48.5
Freshman/Novice 4+ "A" Final1. Miami 8:09.52. Murray State 8:18.23. Georgia 8:24.24. Kansas 8:25.35. Jacksonville 8:26.06. LOUISVILLE 8:38.9
Freshman/Novice 4+ "A/B" Semifinal #1 (Top 2 Advanced to "A" Final)1. LOUISVILLE 8:15.82. Jacksonville 8:16.33. Stetson 8:25.24. West Virginia 8:26.75. NSU 9:33.8
Junior Varsity 8+ "A/B" Semifinal #2 (Top 3 Advanced to "A" Final)1. LOUISVILLE 6:57.52. Miami 7:03.53. Kansas State 7:07.04. Tulsa 7:21.25. GVSU 7:46.26. Washington Univ. 8:00.5
Varsity 8+ "A/B" Semifinal #2 (Top 3 Advanced to "A" Final)1. LOUISVILLE 6:52.32. Sacramento State 6:58.73. Kansas State 7:00.24. Purdue 7:09.85. West Virginia 7:11.66. Cincinnati 7:22.2
Friday Race Results
Doubles Heat #6 (Top 2 Advanced to Final)1. Rollins 9:12.62. LOUISVILLE 9:23.23. UCSD 9:33.14. W Wilson 11:09.9
