Princeton University Athletics
Rowing Trio Among National Top Five In Respective Polls
April 03, 2013 | Heavyweight Rowing, Women's Rowing - Open, Women's Rowing - Lightweight
POLLS: Open Women l Heavyweight Men l Lightweight Women
The open women, heavyweight men and lightweight women are all ranked among the top five teams in the nation this week.
This is the second week of the CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll, and the Princeton women have remained third in the poll both times. Princeton, which defeated Top 15 opponents Ohio State and Brown last weekend, trails only 2012 NCAA champion Virginia and California in the latest poll.
While Princeton may not have moved, a sign of the respect voters have for the Orange and Black could be seen in other spots. Both teams that the Tigers defeated last weekend actually moved up in the poll; Ohio State went from sixth to fourth, while Brown went from 13th to 12th.
Six of the eight Ivy League teams are currently ranked. Yale is the only other team in the Top 10 (10th), while Columbia, this weekend's opponent, is ranked 16th.
The first USRowing men's heavyweight eight poll came out this week, and Princeton stands fifth. Reigning national champion Washington is ranked first, while Ivy rivals Brown (second) and Harvard (fourth) both currently rank higher than the Tigers. Princeton will host both Ivy teams on Lake Carnegie later this season.
The Tigers, who swept both No. 14 Syracuse and No. 16 Georgetown last weekend, will host another Top-10 program this weekend. Princeton will take on 10th-ranked Navy Saturday morning (9 am) on Lake Carnegie; the first varsity race for the Navy-Princeton Rowing Cup will be held at 10 am.
The result that turned the most heads last weekend came on Sunday morning, when the lightweight women defeated reigning EAWRC champion Wisconsin by more than 13 seconds on Lake Carnegie. That victory helped Princeton move to the No. 3 spot in the first poll, behind only reigning national champion Stanford and second-ranked Harvard.
Princeton will have the opportunity to test itself against the Cardinal this weekend when the two teams compete at the San Diego Crew Classic.
The first men's lightweight national poll has not been released. Princeton, which is off this weekend, has defeated both Navy and Georgetown this season.