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Date: May 29, 2003
Contact: Bill Sodoma
Colby women's crew ready for chance at national title
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. --
The chance to move up one position from last year and win an NCAA Division III Rowing Championships national title begins for the Colby College women's crew Friday at Eagle Creek Park.
The first two heats in the NCAA women's crew competition begin at 8:45 a.m. There will also be races later Friday starting at 4:15 p.m. for the Division III crews. The Petite Final is set for Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and the Grand Final is at 11:30 a.m.
Colby will be competing against Trinity College, Wellesley College, Ithaca College, Coast Guard Academy and University of Pugent Sound in the six-boat meet. The Mules finished second in the country in the inaugural Division III meet won by Williams College.
The varsity eight and the junior varsity eight (B team) from each of the six schools are invited to race in the 12-boat competition. The winners of the first two six-boat heats at the meet will automatically qualify for the Grand Final. The second pair of heats will be five-boat races made up of the 10 remaining teams and the top two from each race will go on to the Grand Final. Places three to five in the second heats will make up the Petite Final.
The Grand Final and Petite Final are equally important. At last year's meet, the varsity eight crews all made the Grand Final. Colby's varsity eight finished fourth in the Grand Final, but the junior varsity eight won the Petite Final and pushed the Mules into second place overall.
Colby earned an automatic qualifier into this year's meet after being the top finisher among all New England Small College Athletic Conference schools at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC)/National Invitational Rowing Championships.
Colby and Ithaca are the only two teams returning to the NCAA meet. William Smith College, Williams, Smith College and Pacific Lutheran University were in last year's field.
For results on Friday and Saturday, go on-line to http://www.iuhoosiers.com/ncaa/rowing/ or to the NCAA Web site www.ncaasports.com
