COURTESY LIZA KENNEDY The women's crew team strikes a pose after defeating Columbia on Sat., Apr. 1.

Crew coasts past BU and ascends national rankings

A year ago, the women's crew team had virtually no prospect of defeating either Princeton or the University of Virginia (UVA). These two crews, against whom Yale will race on Sat., Apr. 22, are ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges (EAWRC), respectively, whereas the Bulldogs began their spring season with a No. 14 ranking. On the national level, they weren't even recognized with an official ranking.

After finishing ahead of both Dartmouth and Boston University in their only home race of the season last weekend, however, they rocketed from No. 12 to No. 8 in the country. They're also ranked No. 4 in the EAWRC, which means that for the first time in years the Bulldogs actually have a chance to defeat both Princeton and UVA. "This was only supposed to be a rebound year after getting a new coach and losing a lot of seniors to graduation," Kate Wetmore, JE '02, said. "But what we've done this season is obviously more than rebuilding."

Though excited by their new ranking, the women's varsity eight has hardly become complacent. Unlike in other sports, "There are no subs and no coach to talk to in the middle of the race," Liza Kennedy, DC '02, said, so anything can happen at a given race. Kennedy also noted that the team is now racing under increased pressure. "It's easy when no one expects anything of you," she said. But now that expectations are high, the Elis need to hone their rowing to what Kennedy called a more "composed, controlled, mature" level—a level that they hope will lead to top results at Eastern Sprints on Sun., May 14.

W. Crew

Record: 6-1, 4-1 Ivy Recent Results: Defeated Dartmouth and BU on Sat., Apr. 15 Coming up: Sat., Apr. 22 vs. Princeton and UVA

The varsity eight is a young crew, with one senior, five sophomores and two freshmen. Captain Francine Chew, DC '00, confessed that rowing this year has been an "adjustment to the dynamic of a core of sophomores who've rowed together before," but said that "the mood has been positive." She also praised first-year head coach Will Porter for having "brought about a phenomenal turnaround in our program." Chew notes that this "phenomenal turnaround" has not brought about any complacency, and maintains that her team is continuing to take the season "one race at a time."

Porter is also cautiously enthused about the team's success so far. "We are happy with our results," he said, "but we are not satisfied." Stephanie Rollins, SY '02, had virtually the same reaction. "The boat is moving really well and we are having a lot of fun rowing together," she said. "We are pleased with the results thus far, but are by no means content." The goal is to "get the highest potential speed out of our boat, since we know that what we're working towards is a full performance for the Eastern Sprints in May," Kennedy said.

Porter was hardly speaking for himself when he claimed that "We're just getting started." Yale enters this weekend's race with a No. 4 ranking. According to Wetmore, they anticipate that Princeton and UVA will offer "some outstanding opportunities to really race it up," according to Wetmore.

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