Princeton University Athletics
Women's Lights Look To Wrest Crown From Wisconsin; Hausheer Featured
May 12, 2010 | Women's Rowing - Lightweight
The third-ranked Princeton women's lightweight crew has always had its sights set on the EAWRC championships and a chance to win the title back from Wisconsin. The Tigers will get that opportunity Sunday afternoon on Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J.
The varsity eight, which is coming off an exciting victory over Radcliffe for the Class of 1999 Cup on April 24, will go into the Eastern championships as the second seed (second-ranked Stanford isn't an EAWRC program) and owns victories this season over four of the other five crews it will meet in the grand final, scheduled for 3:10 p.m.
Princeton will race in lane 4, right next to undefeated Wisconsin (lane 3). The Tigers own home victories over the four remaining crews: MIT (1), Radcliffe (2), Georgetown (5) and Bucknell (6). Of those victories, Princeton's closest came against rival Radcliffe; the Tigers went back and forth with the Crimson before earning a 2.3-second victory.
And while Radcliffe and three other crews will be looking to make up ground against Princeton, the entire field will measure itself against Wisconsin. The reigning EAWRC and IRA champion Badgers are undefeated on the season, but they were tested by the Tigers during a weekend competition in California. Wisconsin held on to its No. 1 ranking by less than three seconds, but a young Princeton team left knowing it could compete with the best in the land.
Now it will look to take the title away from Wisconsin and return it to Princeton for the first time since 2003, when the Tigers held off Radcliffe by less than three seconds.
Two other Tiger boats will compete for EAWRC titles this weekend. The varsity four will race from lane 4 at 1:40 p.m. and will take on the same field as the varsity eight, though in a slightly different order. However, the Tigers won't have to look far to find Wisconsin, which will race again in the third lane. The same will be true in the three-team novice eight final, as Wisconsin will sit in between Princeton and Radcliffe during the 1:25 final.
One senior who will be looking to end her EAWRC career with a gold medal is co-captain Justine Hausheer, who has been a member of the varsity eight since her sophomore year. Head coach Paul Rassam has credited her leadership and determination with helping drive the program over recent years, and GoPrincetonTigers.TV recently caught up with both Hausheer and Rassam.
