Princeton University Athletics
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No. 2 Open Crew Brings Confidence, Speed Into 2011 Season Opener
March 23, 2011 | Women's Rowing - Open
2011 PRESEASON NATIONAL RANKINGS
Very few saw Princeton coming at this time last year.
The Tigers entered the 2010 season opener ranked eighth nationally and viewed as a possible medalist at Easterns if everything played out their way. After a second-place finish at Easterns, a third-place finish at NCAAs, a number one ranking during the regular season and two impressive showings in the fall, the 2011 Princeton open crew won't be sneaking up on anybody this time.
Princeton enters this weekend's season opener ranked second nationally, behind only 2010 NCAA champion Virginia; the Tigers will be tested immediately when they take on both No. 5 Brown and No. 8 Michigan State on Lake Carnegie Saturday morning. The regatta will start at 9 a.m., with the first varsity race scheduled to begin at 10:20. The full weekend schedule can be found at the bottom of this preview story.
The Tigers began their impressive 2010 performance, which carried into the fall, by defeating a pair of Top 10 foes in The Class of 1987 Trophy regatta. Then ranked behind Brown and slightly ahead of Ohio State, Princeton won the varsity eight by more than two seconds. Those would be the first two wins in a perfect 12-0 season, which also included a home victory over Virginia.
Head coach Lori Dauphiny , who has seen plenty of wins during her 14 years leading Princeton, returns several familiar faces from her top boat. The varsity eight that medalled at both EAWRCs and NCAAs had only two seniors in it, and one was the coxswain. Of course, those two seniors were key components of a boat that rose to the top of the national rankings; Ari Frost was both a veteran in the varsity eight and ultimately led the U.S. 8+ to gold at the 2010 U-23 World Championships, while Sara Hendershot was both the stroke and ultimate leader of the boat. She went on win gold in the 4- at the U-23 Worlds last summer.
Another part of that winning 4- crew was current senior Michaela Strand , who was one of four juniors from the 2010 varsity eight. Along with Ashton Brown , Emily Reynolds and Lauren Wilkinson , Strand was a big part of Princeton's memorable 2010 season. That foursome would also love nothing more than to get rid of the bad taste left from the EAWRC grand final, where Princeton lost to Yale by less than one second. Those two boats were well ahead of the rest of the field, but it was the Bulldogs who edged in front for the ivy League title.
Dauphiny believes that there is power and confidence coming into the 2011 season, especially based on the results from the fall. Princeton won both the Head of the Charles and the Princeton Chase , and in both cases, the Tigers finished ahead of Virginia. But she also believes that the Tigers' best days will come later this season, after her team has figured out both its lineups and who will ultimately stroke the varsity eight.
Princeton will spend much of the season figuring that out on the road. Following Saturday's regatta, the Tigers will spend four straight weekends competing in four different states, including an April 16 showdown at No. 6 Yale. Princeton will conclude its regular season April 30 on Lake Carnegie, when it will take on Virginia, Columbia and Tennessee.
If all goes according to form, a strong Princeton team in the final weekend of March will be far more formidable and prepared for the postseason by the final weekend of April.
Open Women v. Brown/Michigan State • The Class of 1987 Trophy
9:00 • V4+B
9:20 • 3V
9:40 • V4+A
10:00 • 2V
10:20 • 1V
Lightweight Men v. Navy/MIT
10:45 • 3V
11:00 • 1F
11:15 • 2V
11:30 • 1V
11:45 • 4V
12:00 • 2F