April 24, 2008
2008 Patriot League Rowing Championship Page
Center Valley, Pa. - The Patriot League rowing championship will take place in a new location for the first time in four years on Sunday, April 27. The 2008 championship will be contested on the Cooper River in Camden County, N.J. This is the fourth-ever Patriot League Rowing Championship. Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lehigh and Navy will all be in the hunt for the 2008 title.
The last three year's the Patriot League Rowing Championship has been on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass. Bucknell is the two-time defending champion, while Navy was the inaugural champ in 2005.
Sunday's action will kick off with the Varsity Four race at 8 a.m. and will be followed by the Second Varsity Eight ay 8:10 a.m. The final race of the day is the Varsity Eight at 8:20 a.m.
Following the championship, the Patriot League will award the 2008 Patriot League champion and runner-up, as well as the Coach of the Year and Boat of the Year. The Patriot League Coach of the Year award is voted on by the League's five head coaches: Bucknell's Stephen Kish, Colgate's Greg Kruczynski, Holy Cross' Patrick Diggins, Lehigh's Liz Meltzer and Navy's Mike Hughes. The winning Varsity Eight boat is deemed the Patriot League Boat of the Year.
Bucknell heads into this weekend's competition as the two-time defending Patriot League Champion. The Bison have placed first six times this spring with wins coming against North Carolina, Delaware, George Mason, Dayton, Georgetown, George Washington, MIT, West Virginia and at the Murphy and Knecht Cups. Bucknell also recently accepted an invitation to the Eastern Sprints, which is the annual rowing championship for the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges (EAWRC) league.
Colgate competed in the Murphy Cup, Knecht Cup and Harvey Cup and against UMass, Columbia and Holy Cross this spring. The Raiders finished third at last year's Patriot League Championship.
Holy Cross participated in seven non-scoring events going up against multiple teams during the spring campaign and also competed in the Knecht Cup. The Crusaders tied for fourth at the Patriot League Championship a year ago.
Lehigh most recently defeated rival Lafayette in the annual River Cup that took place in Allentown, Pa. This spring the Mountain Hawks also competed in the Murphy Cup, San Diego Crew Classic, Knecht Cup and against Delaware, Drexel, St. Joseph's. The Mountain Hawks tied Holy Cross for fourth at the 2007 Patriot League Championship.
Navy was the Patriot League Championship runner-up the last two years and was the winner of the title in 2005. The Mids defeated Georgetown in their most recent race and competed in the Murphy Cup, Playfair Cup and the George Washington Invitational.
An All-Patriot League Team will be announced the week following the championship, with its members based on the team's finishes at Sunday's event.
Results for this weekend's competition can be found on the Patriot League site on the main page as well as on the Rowing Championship Page which can be accessed by clicking here.
2008 Patriot League Rowing Championship Schedule
Sunday, April 27
Varsity Four, 8 a.m.
Second Varsity Eight, 8:10 a.m.
Varsity Eight, 8:20 a.m.
