Friday, May 12
Cooper River; Cherry Hill, N.J.
Lehigh University
at
Patriot League Championship
Mountain Hawks set for pair of championship races this weekend
5/11/2017 2:07:00 PM | Men's Rowing, Women's Rowing
Watch: Patriot League Championships (Free) | Live Results: PL Championships | Dad Vail Regatta Information
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh rowing team is set for a big weekend as the women will compete in the Patriot League Championships on Friday on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. while the men will row in the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta beginning Friday on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Friday's league championships can be seen live, for free, on the Patriot League Network.
The Patriot League Championships begin at 8 a.m. with the first heat of the Women's Varsity Eight. Lehigh's Varsity Eight will row at 8:10 a.m. (second heat), Second Varsity Eight at 8:30 a.m. (second heat) and Varsity Four at 8:50 a.m. (second heat). On the men's side, Lehigh's first race on Friday will be the Freshmen Eight at 8:27 p.m. Lehigh's Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Junior Varsity Four will also compete at Dad Vails. For the preliminary heat sheet, please click here.
Most recently, the women swept Patriot League rival Holy Cross as a finale tune-up before the championships.
"The women have shown they've been prepared to race all spring season," said Lehigh head coach Brian Conley. "This group has gained a lot of good race experience throughout the spring, and within practice, that it shows in their own rowing. They are very confident in the fact they can move their boats fast and well."
The Mountain Hawks are seeded sixth (out of nine Patriot League teams) for all three events. Lehigh's women's and men's rowers, who have both made big strides this season, have been busy fine-tuning their rowing heading into their biggest weekend of the year.
"Most teams don't race the weekend before their championships to really fine tune little things. That's exactly what we were doing," said Conley. "We set the lineups early and have allowed everyone to gel so they can anticipate each others' movements a little better."
Lehigh's men's team hasn't competed since Apr. 22 when it hosted Mercyhurst. In that regatta, the Varsity Eight hung tough against perennial Division II national power, coming in second - just 0.26 seconds out of first.
"The men are rowing exceptionally well," said Conley. "We have gotten stronger this year with the large group of freshmen coming on board. They have put themselves in some very close races and I am excited to see them challenge for a high final rank at the Dad Vail."
After so much hard work this season, the Mountain Hawks hope it pays dividends with success this weekend.
"Our sights have been set on making the finals all year long," said Conley. "The women have shown they have the speed and capability of making the grand finals at the Patriot League Championships in each event. It's something that hasn't happened at Lehigh since the league expanded to having grand and petite finals. The men have a larger regatta, but our expectations are the same as the women. We want to make it to one of the top two finals. There are some really fast crews coming to the race, but we have shown some great speed this year too, and I'm looking for them to rise to any challenge presented."
Like Lehigh Rowing on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh rowing team is set for a big weekend as the women will compete in the Patriot League Championships on Friday on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. while the men will row in the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta beginning Friday on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Friday's league championships can be seen live, for free, on the Patriot League Network.
The Patriot League Championships begin at 8 a.m. with the first heat of the Women's Varsity Eight. Lehigh's Varsity Eight will row at 8:10 a.m. (second heat), Second Varsity Eight at 8:30 a.m. (second heat) and Varsity Four at 8:50 a.m. (second heat). On the men's side, Lehigh's first race on Friday will be the Freshmen Eight at 8:27 p.m. Lehigh's Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Junior Varsity Four will also compete at Dad Vails. For the preliminary heat sheet, please click here.
Most recently, the women swept Patriot League rival Holy Cross as a finale tune-up before the championships.
"The women have shown they've been prepared to race all spring season," said Lehigh head coach Brian Conley. "This group has gained a lot of good race experience throughout the spring, and within practice, that it shows in their own rowing. They are very confident in the fact they can move their boats fast and well."
The Mountain Hawks are seeded sixth (out of nine Patriot League teams) for all three events. Lehigh's women's and men's rowers, who have both made big strides this season, have been busy fine-tuning their rowing heading into their biggest weekend of the year.
"Most teams don't race the weekend before their championships to really fine tune little things. That's exactly what we were doing," said Conley. "We set the lineups early and have allowed everyone to gel so they can anticipate each others' movements a little better."
Lehigh's men's team hasn't competed since Apr. 22 when it hosted Mercyhurst. In that regatta, the Varsity Eight hung tough against perennial Division II national power, coming in second - just 0.26 seconds out of first.
"The men are rowing exceptionally well," said Conley. "We have gotten stronger this year with the large group of freshmen coming on board. They have put themselves in some very close races and I am excited to see them challenge for a high final rank at the Dad Vail."
After so much hard work this season, the Mountain Hawks hope it pays dividends with success this weekend.
"Our sights have been set on making the finals all year long," said Conley. "The women have shown they have the speed and capability of making the grand finals at the Patriot League Championships in each event. It's something that hasn't happened at Lehigh since the league expanded to having grand and petite finals. The men have a larger regatta, but our expectations are the same as the women. We want to make it to one of the top two finals. There are some really fast crews coming to the race, but we have shown some great speed this year too, and I'm looking for them to rise to any challenge presented."
Like Lehigh Rowing on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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