Cardinal Rowing Set to Face No. 9 Tennessee
March 22, 2007 | Rowing
March 22, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The 19th-ranked University of Louisville rowing team will return to action on Saturday morning in Knoxville, Tenn., with five dual races against the ninth-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols.
The Cards and Lady Vols are scheduled to open the race schedule at 10 a.m. ET with a Varsity 4+ race, followed by a Novice 8+ race at 10:15 a.m., a 2nd Varsity 8+ race at 10:30 a.m., a 2nd Novice 8+ race at 11 a.m. and a Varsity 8+ race at 11:15 a.m.
The Cards' No. 19 ranking in the preseason USRowing/CRCA Division I Varsity Eight Coaches Poll is the highest national ranking in the program's eight-year history. UofL's previous high ranking was 20th on two different occasions, including the final poll of the 2006 season.
UofL enters this weekend's race following a pair of wins over nationally ranked Minnesota on March 11 in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Cards earned a win over the Golden Gophers' Varsity 8+ crew, ranked 13th in the USRowing/CRCA Preseason Top 20, and their Varsity 4+ crew.
Tennessee, which finished 12th overall at last year's NCAA Championships, enters Saturday's races following several scrimmage races against Minnesota and Notre Dame on March 17 in Knoxville.
"We're preparing for another hard fought race against a strong Tennessee program," said UofL head coach Richard Ruggieri. "Their crews always race aggressively and we must do the same in order to be in a position to accomplish our goals."
Following Saturday's races at Tennessee, the Cards will have three weeks off from competition before traveling to Stanford, Calif., for the Windermere Real Estate Rowing Classic on April 14-15 and facing No. 2 ranked and reigning national champion California, No. 7 Washington and No. 12 Stanford.
