Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Women's Lights Seek First EAWRC Title Since 2003 During Championship Sunday
May 13, 2011 | Women's Rowing - Lightweight
FULL RACING SCHEDULE l DIRECTIONS TO COOPER RIVER
The Princeton women's lightweight crew couldn't have asked for a better start to their 2011 season. It really couldn't have asked for a better middle, either. But each and every Tiger will tell you that none of that will mean much without the perfect ending.
And that ending, or at least Part 1 of it, could come Sunday afternoon on Cooper River during the 2011 EAWRC Championship regatta.
To fully appreciate what Sunday could mean, here's a little history lesson: Princeton won its fifth straight EAWRC championship in women's lightweight rowing at the end of the 2003 season. Nobody could have guessed that a sixth overall title would be more than seven years away.
But that was the by-product of Wisconsin's full commitment to the sport. Whether the margin has been as small as .8 of a second or been greater than 30 seconds, the Badgers have finished in front of Princeton in every EAWRC grand final since 2004.
Coming into the 2011 season, there was a different level of confidence within the program. Princeton had earned medals at both the 2010 EAWRC and IRA national championship regattas, a double the program had earned only one other time since 2006.
It was also a team that had more than its fair share of experience, so there wasn't much that would rattle it.
"This year is unique because we have a really strong and really big senior class," said senior Caroline Clark during this week's edition of TigerCast, which you can listen to online by clicking under the "Podcasts" tab on the top right corner of the page. "We definitely have a lot of leadership on this team, and that has really contributed to this season. But it hasn't just been seniors, because as a whole, everybody has stepped up."
They first saw the fruits of their labor during the season-opening regatta in Windermere, Calif., when Princeton posted an overwhelming statement. The Tigers defeated reigning Eastern champion Wisconsin by 10.9 seconds in one race, then topped reigning national champion Stanford by 11.3 seconds in another.
There has been no let-up since, as Princeton has gone 5-for-5 since returning home, including a 7.1-second win over its top rival, Radcliffe, for The Class of 1999 Cup. The Tigers have earned their top seeding in the EAWRC field and the label as favorites, but they are far too experienced to assume anything else, especially about a Wisconsin team that always improves greatly before the postseason.
"We have a tremendous respect for [Wisconsin]," Clark said. "We know they'll bring a lot on Sunday. We've been focusing more on ourselves and how we can improve."
They will see how their own improvements stand against the field when the championship field lines up at 3:05 p.m. Sunday for the championship final. Princeton will row in Lane 3, right between third-seeded Radcliffe (Lane 2) and second-seeded Wisconsin (Lane 4). Bucknell, Georgetown and MIT will also be in the final, meaning the undefeated Tigers will have at least one win against each of its Sunday opponents.
Princeton will also be seeking a second varsity eight win; that grand final will take place at 1:15 p.m. The Princeton 2V went 4-2 on the season and enters as the third seed in Lane 2; the Tigers' only losses came to top-seeded Wisconsin and second-seeded Radcliffe.