April 22, 2001

MADISON, Wis. - The Notre Dame rowing team was undefeated with a perfect 3-0 record this weekend at the weather shortened Midwest Rowing Championships on Lake Wingra in Madison, Wis.

After thunder and lightning delayed the start of the races on Saturday, Notre Dame sent its novice four and novice eight boats on the water, winning both races. The novice four won heat three with a time of 7:37.00, followed by Kansas B at 7:40.20 and Wisconsin B at 7:44.20.

The novice eight team of Kacy McCaffrey, Heather Dziedzic, Katie Welsh, Natalie Ladine, Jacqueline Hazen, Robin Mattessich, Katie O'Hara, Danielle Protasewich and Megan Sanders then won its race defeating Grand Valley State by over 22 seconds. Notre Dame finished in 6:38.00, followed by Grand Valley at 7:00.90 and Marquette at 7:10.70.

Racing was stopped after the novice eight event because high winds caused unsafe racing conditions for the athletes. An abbreviated schedule was set for Sunday morning starting with a finals-only race of the varsity eight.

The wait was worth it for the 16th-ranked Irish as the crew of Katherine Burnett, Diane Price, Becky Luckett, Courtney Mercer, Ashlee Warren, Michelle Olsgard, Ann Marie Dillhoff, Jayme Szefc and Claire Bula outdistanced Wisconsin by a second. Notre Dame won its sixth race in seven tries this spring, finishing in 6:14.00. Wisconsin was second in 6:15.90, while Kansas was third in 6:19.40.

Notre Dame is next in action Sunday, April 29, as it rows in the inaugural BIG EAST Rowing Championship on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.

Midwest Rowing Championships
Lake Wingra
Madison, Wisconsin

The course:
An 1850 meter fully buoyed seven lane course.

The conditions:
A strong cross wind from starboard Saturday morning causing some chop before growing to a gale and forcing cancellation of races. A slight cross wind from port Sunday morning for the Varsity 8+ race with good water.

The results:

Women's Novice 4+
Heat 3
1. Notre Dame 7:37.0
2. Kansas B 7:40.2
3. Wisconsin B 7:44.2
4. Case Western 8:28.8
5. Chicago 8:53.0
6. Nebraska 8:56.2

Women's Novice 8+
Heat 2
1. Notre Dame 6:38.0 McCaffrey, Dziedzic, Welsh, Ladine, Hazen, Mattessich, O'Hara, Protasewich, Sanders
2. Grand Valley 7:00.9
3. Marquette 7:10.7
4. Wisconsin LT. 7:12.7
5. Augustana 8:03.9
6. St. Cloud St. 8:31.5

Women's Varsity 8+
Seeded Grand Final
Sunday AM
1. Notre Dame 6:14.0 Bula, Szefc, Dillhoff, Olsgard, Warren, Mercer, Luckett, Price, Burnett
2. Wisconsin 6:15.0
3. Kansas 6:19.4
4. Wisco LT. A 6:24.3
5. Minnesota 6:25.9
6. Wash U. 6:54.7
7. Wisco LT. B 6:55.6