ROW | SMC Takes To The Water For 2013 Season
3/14/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
MORAGA, Calif. -- The Saint Mary's rowing team hits the water for its first regatta this spring on Saturday when it takes part in the Sacramento State Invitational at Lake Natoma.
And, after a winter of training, the Gaels are ready to show the strides they've made.
They'll do so against the host Hornets, Portland, Humboldt State, UC San Diego and Mills College. Racing begins at 8 a.m.
"It's our first 2k in head to head competition and we are looking forward to some tight racing," Saint Mary's head coach Nicole Younts said. "We are racing some great teams and know we need to bring our best."
That the season is starting is good news for a hungry group of Gaels. A winter spent preparing yielded good training, and a team that returns plenty of familiar faces now gets a chance to test its training.
"Winter training was very encouraging. I think we made some good gains in speed," said associate head coach Anna Cohen. "Now, we have to put that to use on the water."
Two returners received preseason accolades, as Haley Adams and Maryann Concannon were selected to the all-West Coast Conference preseason team.
"Haley has been the stroke seat of our varsity 8 for the last two years and Maryann is SMC rowing's first ever All-American (2012 2nd team)," Younts said. " They are terrific athletes and mainstays in the varsity 8."
They're certainly not the only returning talent that Saint Mary's can draw on.
In fact, Younts and Cohen can count of plenty of continuity with a large portion of last year's team back for another run.
The Gaels return six of nine rowers to their varsity eight, a group that is already the most successful V8 Saint Mary's has had.
"The first year someone's rowing, they're really learning a lot about the sport," Younts said. "I think we've done a good job of developing our athletes so that when those kids come back, they're better and faster, they know what to expect from us and what we expect from them."
After this weekend, Saint Mary's next big competition comes at the San Diego Crew Classic on April 6 and 7.
The Gaels will continue competition all the way through April, culminating with a trip to the West Coast Conference Championships at Lake Natoma on May 18.
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