Princeton University Athletics
#1 Tigers Close Long Road Stretch With Race For Class Of 1984 Plaque
April 20, 2011 | Women's Rowing - Open
The undefeated and top-ranked Princeton open women will conclude a four-week road stretch Saturday morning when they take on both Penn and Dartmouth on the Connecticut River for The Class Of 1984 Plaque.
Princeton, which has been ranked No. 1 in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Coaches Poll since the second week of the season, is 8-0 on the season and 4-0 within the Ivy League. The Tigers are coming off an impressive showing at The Eisenberg Cup regatta last weekend, when they defeated reigning Ivy League champion Yale in three races, including both the first and second varsity showdowns. The Tiger 1V topped Yale by 2.9 seconds, its second-closest margin of victory on the season; Princeton defeated Brown by 2.5 seconds in the season opener.
Princeton has now won 22 straight regular season races, its longest streak since winning 36 consecutive races between 2004 and 2006. Unlike the rest of its regular season regattas, the Class of 1984 Plaque is not determined solely by the 1V winner. In this regatta, which dates back to 1985, the trophy is awarded to the team with the highest point total in the three 'NCAA Championship' format races. The point total can be seen here:
| Class of 1984 Plaque | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| First Varsity | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| Second Varsity | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| Varsity 4A | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Since the NCAA Championship is determined in similar fashion, this will be a good test for head coach Lori Dauphiny's program to see how each boat will fare with a team trophy on the line. The Princeton 2V, like the 1V, is 8-0 on the season and has won each race by at least three seconds. The varsity four is 5-3 and will be looking to bounce back from losses to both Ohio State and Yale last weekend. The varsity four is 2-2 in the Ivy League and will look to clinch a winning league season with a pair of victories.
The 3V8 and a V4B will also compete this weekend. The third varsity is 4-1 overall and has won four straight since a season-opening loss to Brown, while the V4B is 0-2.
The Princeton open women will have one more home competition on Lake Carnegie, and it will feature the current top two teams in the nation. Princeton will host No. 2 Virginia, the reigning NCAA champion, as well as Tennessee and Columbia next Saturday morning on Lake Carnegie. The regatta will begin at 10:40, with the first varsity race scheduled for noon.
The Class Of 1984 Plaque Regatta Schedule
10:15 • B4
10:30 • 3V8
10:45 • V4
11:00 • 2V
11:15 • 1V