Women's Crew Earns Team Bid To NCAA Championships
5/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
May 21, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's crew learned Tuesday afternoon that it had received a team bid to the 2002 NCAA Women's Rowing Championship. This marks the third time in Michigan State history that the Spartans have earned a team bid. With a team bid, MSU will send three boats (First Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and First Varsity Four) to the championships being held at Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, hosted by Indiana University.
"We are extremely excited to get a team bid to the NCAA Championships," said MSU head coach Bebe Bryans. "We have progressed so well this year that we have been able to plan for nationals all along. In past years, we have peaked earlier and then had to taper. This year we are ready to peak for nationals, which is very exciting. It shows the level of preparation and hard work that these women have put in this season.
"We plan to keep the same goals this season and that's to keep getting faster and not worry about the teams around us. We will compete internally and let that be our guide."
MSU has qualified at least one boat for the national championships in all five years that crew has been a varsity sport at the university. In its inaugural season in 1998, MSU's Varsity Eight placed ninth. In 1999 and 2000, MSU qualified its entire crew for the championships, placing eighth in the team competition both seasons. The First Varsity Eight placed a school-best eighth at the 2000 NCAA Championship. Last year, the Varsity Eight finished 10th, marking the fourth-straight top-10 finish.
"One of the differences with this year's crew is that all three boats are extremely competitive," explained Bryans. "There is not a weak link on the team and that makes us a more competitive team at the national level."
The Spartans made their case for a team bid with strong showings during the month of May. On May 4, at the 2002 Big Ten Championships, Michigan State finished third, including capturing a Big Ten title in the First Varsity Four. Last weekend at the Lexus Central/Southern Sprints in Tennessee, the Spartans placed third once again. This time the First Varsity Four and Second Varsity Eight placed second, while the First Varsity Eight placed third.
Twelve Division I programs received team invitations to Eagle Creek Reservoir. In addition to Michigan State, the field includes Brown, California, Harvard, Michigan, Ohio State, Princeton, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Washington and Yale. Cornell, Notre Dame, Southern California and Washington State will enter a boat in the varsity eight competiton.