The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Clemson Invite
No. 8 Rowing Preview: Clemson Invite
04.14.2016 | Rowing
Eighth-ranked Longhorns join many of the nation’s top teams at Clemson’s three-session, two-day regatta.
WHAT: No. 8 Texas takes part in the annual Clemson Invitational, a 20-team regatta that contests three sessions of racing over two days. The regatta features four top-10 squads, including three-time defending NCAA champion Ohio State and four additional top-10 finishers from the 2015 NCAA Championships (Texas, Virginia, Washington State and Michigan)
REGATTA PARTICIPANTS
Clemson, No. 8 Texas, Columbia, Cornell, No. 13 Indiana, Michigan State, No. 4 Ohio State, Oregon State, Radcliffe College, No. 19 Syracuse, UCLA, UCF, Louisville, No. 10 Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, San Diego, Tennessee, No. 3 Virginia and No. 14 Washington State.
WHEN:
Saturday, April 16
Session 1: 8:30-10:30 a.m. ET
Session 2: 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 17
8:30-10:30 a.m. ET
WHERE: Lake Hartwell – Clemson, S.C.
REGATTA WEB SITE:
http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=210011394
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
http://www.clemsontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=935314&SPID=160208&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&ATCLID=210884792
LIVE VIDEO:
Saturday Session 1: http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2777196/clemson-invitational?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500 (ESPN subscription required)
Saturday Session 2: http://www.clemsontigers.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&catid=0&id=1690477&db_oem_id=28500
Sunday Session: http://www.clemsontigers.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=28500&catid=0&id=1690378&db_oem_id=28500
LAST YEAR AT THE CLEMSON INVITE
Texas won its varsity four heat and took second in the varsity eight, second varsity eight and second varsity four races in the final session of the 2015 Clemson Invite.
The Longhorns put forth a productive showing on the opening day of the 2015 Clemson Invite, as their varsity eight defeated four top-20 boats in the day's evening session.
LAST TIME OUT
Texas won the collegiate novice grand final and took second in four additional grand finals races two weeks ago at the San Diego Crew Classic.
CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll (April 13)
- Brown
- California
- Virginia
- Ohio State
- Yale
- Washington
- Stanford
- TEXAS
- Princeton
- Michigan
- USC
- Wisconsin
- Indiana
- Washington State
- Gonzaga
- Iowa
- Harvard
- Notre Dame
- Syracuse
- Louisville
LONGHORNS RIDE MOMENTUM FROM HISTORIC SEASON
Texas' momentous 2015 campaign created another milestone before the Longhorns' first official regatta of the spring. Fresh off of its breakthrough season under its then first-year coaching staff, Texas ranked a then program-best No. 7 in the USRowing/CRCA preseason coaches poll.
UT sat at No. 8 in the following week's poll before moving to No. 9 in the March 29 rankings. Texas vaulted to a program-best No. 6 in last week's USRowing/CRCA coaches poll before dropping to No. 8 this week.
The Longhorns ranked as high as No. 11 last season before posting a program-best seventh-place team finish at the NCAA Championships, which marked the top finish ever by a Big 12 school in the event. The 2015 season yielded three All-America Longhorns in the form of Gia Doonan, Emily Froehlich and Pippa Loveard, who all return this season.
Doonan and Froehlich earned first-team All-America selections and joined Ruth Stiver as the only first-team All-Americans in program history. Loveard earned second-team honors on the Pocock Division I All-America Team.
Doonan also was named the 2015 Big 12 Rower of the Year while Froehlich was selected as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. The three All-Americans helped the Texas varsity eight boat to a school-best fourth place at the 2015 NCAA Championships.
Last season, Texas won its first Big 12 team title since 2012 and swept the Big 12 Championships for the first time since 2011.
The CRCA (College Rowing Coaches Association) lauded UT head coach Dave O'Neill as its National Coach of the Year, good for O'Neill's third such honor. The CRCA bestowed O'Neill's staff with its National Staff of the Year award, as well.
The staff included assistant coaches Mary Lenington and Mara Allen, special assistant Wendy /Wilbur, rigger boatman James Sands, graduate assistant Danielle Bartz and volunteer coaches Haley Adams and Natasia Giles. Lenington has since been promoted to associate head coach.
UPCOMING REGATTAS
Texas will play host to No. 3 Virginia in a one-day dual on April 30 on Lady Bird Lake. The Longhorns will go for an automatic bid for the NCAA Championships two weeks later at the Big 12 Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
The NCAA Championships return to Lake Natoma in Gold River, California, for a second straight year. The national championship is set for May 27-29.
