Friday, May 11
Schuylkill River; Philadelphia, Pa.
TBA
Lehigh University
at
Dad Vail Regatta
Lehigh set for Patriot League Championships, Dad Vail Regatta beginning Friday
5/10/2018 10:00:00 AM | Men's Rowing, Women's Rowing
Women's: Patriots Schedule | Watch Live (PLN) … Men's: Dad Vail Regatta Information
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After endless hours of hard work spanning the entire year, Lehigh rowing is set for a pair of championship races this weekend as the women compete in the Patriot League Championship on Friday while the men race in the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta beginning Friday. The Patriot League Championship can be viewed live, for free, on the Patriot League Network.
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The Patriot League Championship, set for the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J., begins with the Varsity Eight heats at 8 and 8:15 a.m. followed by Second Varsity Eight at 8:30 and 8:45 then Varsity Four at 9 and 9:15. The first Lehigh men's race at Dad Vails is set for 8:35 a.m. in the Junior Varsity Four. The Dad Vail Regatta will take place on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
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"The team really functions most of the year as one team (women's and men's as one)," said Lehigh head coach Brian Conley. "At this point in the year, the team understands that the focus has to become a little more internal and on their own individual boat's process of going fast to ultimately have the team perform its best. That being said, you can see in practice, the men and women wanting the other squads and boats to do well. The biggest line of competitive juices have been between the Women's Varsity Eight and 2V all year long and you can see them feed off each other every chance they can get. It has only made the whole team better."
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The Patriot League Championship kick off Friday morning with the heats of the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Varsity Four. Lehigh is coming off a historic championship effort last May, shattering the previous school record for points with 26 and finishing tied for sixth place overall. The Mountain Hawks were only seven points behind fifth-place MIT, eight points behind fourth-place Bucknell and 10 points behind third-place Georgetown.
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The success has only continued this season, which includes jumping into the most recent NCAA Regional Rankings for the first time in program history. The Lehigh women currently stand No. 6 while the Second Varsity Eight are fourth.
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"There is a good sense of optimism on the team as they know they have worked really hard and have seen good results leading up to this weekend," said Conley. "The women are hungry to try and get a medal for the first time since the Patriot League recognized rowing as a championship sport. The last medal we won was in 2004 before it was an official league championship."
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This season saw another first as Lehigh's Women's Second Varsity Eight was named Patriot League Boat of the Week in March after advancing to the grand finals at the Murphy Cup. It's just one of many examples of progress by the Mountain Hawks this season, both women and men.
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"This has been an incredible group this year," said Conley. "We have had tremendous leadership, empowerment and competitiveness all year. They continued what was growing from the year before and I could not have asked anything more of the team in all of those areas. It has been so much fun to coach this group and see their improvements."
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While the women are competing at Patriots, the men will be racing in a championship regatta of their own, the Dad Vail Regatta. The Lehigh men will have entrants in the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Junior Varsity Four. Last year, Lehigh's Men's Varsity Eight and Freshmen Eight both reached the Dad Vail semifinals.
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"This is the week we train nine months for," said Conley. "We have so few races in a year, but when we get to this week, it is everything that these athletes want. Last year, we saw an enormous burst of fantastic results and we are hoping for the same this year.Â
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"Many times, this is the week we see how much we have grown," Conley continued. "I know the athletes will look at the results for the growth, but I look at the how. How did they approach the race? How did they prepare themselves in the moment? How much effort did they put into the oar handle when it was time to race, and how did they ultimately stay focused on the process within the race? That is what tells me if we have grown or not.
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"If we do well in each of those areas, the results will reflect it."
Â
The women and men are taking part in different races, but with the same mindset and attitude. It's another opportunity to push the bar forward as a program, in a season chalk fall of breakthroughs.
Â
"I would love to see our team walk away from the regatta knowing they could not have taken another stroke," said Conley. "We talk about that all year. Leave everything you have on the water. If you do that, then no matter the result ,you can say it was a good day. If we win because of it, then it's a bonus. If we don't win, we know the other team was just better. We will be facing a lot of tough teams this weekend at both Patriots and Dad Vails and I have a lot of confidence in this group that they will leave it all out on the water."
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Like Lehigh Rowing on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After endless hours of hard work spanning the entire year, Lehigh rowing is set for a pair of championship races this weekend as the women compete in the Patriot League Championship on Friday while the men race in the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta beginning Friday. The Patriot League Championship can be viewed live, for free, on the Patriot League Network.
Â
The Patriot League Championship, set for the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J., begins with the Varsity Eight heats at 8 and 8:15 a.m. followed by Second Varsity Eight at 8:30 and 8:45 then Varsity Four at 9 and 9:15. The first Lehigh men's race at Dad Vails is set for 8:35 a.m. in the Junior Varsity Four. The Dad Vail Regatta will take place on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
Â
"The team really functions most of the year as one team (women's and men's as one)," said Lehigh head coach Brian Conley. "At this point in the year, the team understands that the focus has to become a little more internal and on their own individual boat's process of going fast to ultimately have the team perform its best. That being said, you can see in practice, the men and women wanting the other squads and boats to do well. The biggest line of competitive juices have been between the Women's Varsity Eight and 2V all year long and you can see them feed off each other every chance they can get. It has only made the whole team better."
Â
The Patriot League Championship kick off Friday morning with the heats of the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Varsity Four. Lehigh is coming off a historic championship effort last May, shattering the previous school record for points with 26 and finishing tied for sixth place overall. The Mountain Hawks were only seven points behind fifth-place MIT, eight points behind fourth-place Bucknell and 10 points behind third-place Georgetown.
Â
The success has only continued this season, which includes jumping into the most recent NCAA Regional Rankings for the first time in program history. The Lehigh women currently stand No. 6 while the Second Varsity Eight are fourth.
Â
"There is a good sense of optimism on the team as they know they have worked really hard and have seen good results leading up to this weekend," said Conley. "The women are hungry to try and get a medal for the first time since the Patriot League recognized rowing as a championship sport. The last medal we won was in 2004 before it was an official league championship."
Â
This season saw another first as Lehigh's Women's Second Varsity Eight was named Patriot League Boat of the Week in March after advancing to the grand finals at the Murphy Cup. It's just one of many examples of progress by the Mountain Hawks this season, both women and men.
 Â
"This has been an incredible group this year," said Conley. "We have had tremendous leadership, empowerment and competitiveness all year. They continued what was growing from the year before and I could not have asked anything more of the team in all of those areas. It has been so much fun to coach this group and see their improvements."
Â
While the women are competing at Patriots, the men will be racing in a championship regatta of their own, the Dad Vail Regatta. The Lehigh men will have entrants in the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Junior Varsity Four. Last year, Lehigh's Men's Varsity Eight and Freshmen Eight both reached the Dad Vail semifinals.
Â
"This is the week we train nine months for," said Conley. "We have so few races in a year, but when we get to this week, it is everything that these athletes want. Last year, we saw an enormous burst of fantastic results and we are hoping for the same this year.Â
Â
"Many times, this is the week we see how much we have grown," Conley continued. "I know the athletes will look at the results for the growth, but I look at the how. How did they approach the race? How did they prepare themselves in the moment? How much effort did they put into the oar handle when it was time to race, and how did they ultimately stay focused on the process within the race? That is what tells me if we have grown or not.
Â
"If we do well in each of those areas, the results will reflect it."
Â
The women and men are taking part in different races, but with the same mindset and attitude. It's another opportunity to push the bar forward as a program, in a season chalk fall of breakthroughs.
Â
"I would love to see our team walk away from the regatta knowing they could not have taken another stroke," said Conley. "We talk about that all year. Leave everything you have on the water. If you do that, then no matter the result ,you can say it was a good day. If we win because of it, then it's a bonus. If we don't win, we know the other team was just better. We will be facing a lot of tough teams this weekend at both Patriots and Dad Vails and I have a lot of confidence in this group that they will leave it all out on the water."
Â
Like Lehigh Rowing on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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