The Murray State News

Issue date: 5/4/07 Section: Sports

With a seven-month schedule and very little time off, the women's rowing team is one match away from completing its 12-race season.

But Head Coach Bill McLean isn't ready for the season to end.

After winning three medals at the Midwest Collegiate Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla., Saturday, the Racers are geared to compete in the NCAA Regional Qualifying Championships beginning May 11. In order for the Racers to advance to the championship race, the team has to finish in the top six at the qualifying race.

McLean said in order to produce a good performance, the team still had to make adjustments.

"All season we've been trying to break seven minutes," McLean said. "That's an important goal for us because right now the (times) of the teams we're racing are around the seven-minute mark. ... Our goal for the program is to break seven minutes because then we can make that goal even faster, because the winners of the NCAA are pulling a (6 minutes, 33 seconds time)."

Last weekend the Racers varsity-eight crew turned in its fastest time of the season, finishing the race in 7:08.68, seven seconds behind first-place Southern Methodist University. Overall, the Racers placed fourth in the event.

Murray State's varsity-eight crew gave the team its highest placement of the day, finishing second with a time of 7:26.47.

The Racer's novice-eight team accounted for Murray State's third medal of the day, finishing third with a time of 7:43.37.

The men's club team brought home Murray State's only gold medal, winning the freshman four race.

The men also recorded a second-place and third-place finish in the men's pair event.

"I was very excited," McLean said. "It's always a good feeling to win a medal after all the hard work you've put in during a season and to walk away with some recognition. It was fantastic to be racing out there with some really good schools."

With several rowers competing in back-to-back races, McLean said it was a struggle for his team to muster the energy to finish each race.

"The women came off thoroughly exhausted," McLean said. "I can't stress that enough. They were doing everything they could possibly do and that's exactly what I wanted from them. They put everything, their heart and soul, into it. ... They reached their full potential. This week they're going to work on adapting to endurance work, because that's really where they felt they needed more - a lot more endurance."

McLean said his team would use the week to adjust to a more demanding speed in order to prepare for the qualifying race, which will be held in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools