May 1, 2008

WCC ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP THIS FRIDAY
West Coast Conference women's rowing teams turn their attention to the league championship event this Friday as they battle it out at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, CA. Gonzaga looks to defend its title, while the rest of the field, looks to dethrone the Bulldogs, who have dominated the championship since its inception in 1997.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Race Times
I-Four Race - 9:20 PM
II-Eight Race - 9:40 PM
I-Eight Race - 10:00 PM

Point Distribution
I-Four
1. 5 points
2. 4 points
3. 3 points
4. 2 points
5. 1 point

II-Eight
1. 10 points
2. 8 points
3. 6 points
4. 4 points
5. 2 points

I-Eight
1. 15 points
2. 12 points
3. 9 points
4. 6 points
5. 3 points

Directions to Lake Natoma
From Highway 80:
Heading West from Auburn or East from Sacramento or San Francisco take the Sierra College Blvd. exit (in the City of Rocklin) and turn South on Sierra College Blvd. In about 6 miles Sierra College Blvd. becomes Hazel Ave., continue South through the town of Orangevale and finally across the American River. Your first left after the river is the Aquatic Center. Turn left onto Gold County Blvd./Nimbus Rd. Follow the road into the Aquatic Center parking lot.

From Highway 50:
Heading West from Lake Tahoe or East from Sacramento or San Francisco take the Hazel Ave. (Exit 21). Go North onto Hazel Ave. Proceed approximately .5 to Gold County Blvd./Nimbus Rd. (the second stop light) turn right. Follow the road into the Aquatic Center parking lot.

2007 WCC ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
The Gonzaga women's rowing team claimed its 10th West Coast Conference title, winning the I-Eight, II-Eight and I-Four races at Lake Natoma. The Bulldogs swept each of the three events, taking its ninth I-Eight event in the 11-year championship history and accumulating the maximum 30 team points. Last year's champion, Loyola Marymount, finished in a three-way tie for second place with Saint Mary's and Santa Clara, who each scored 17 total points. San Diego took second-place in the I-Four race, finishing with nine total points. Gonzaga saw its 10th championship rewarded with three All-Conference selections in Nicole Aadland-Lewis, Hanna McClintock and Kelly Steinhauf. Saint Mary's had three athletes earn All-WCC honors in Sierra Timmer, two-time all-conference rower Lindsey Anderson and coxswain Kate Shalvoy. Both Santa Clara and LMU had two athletes honored, with the Lions' Marni Hietbrink and Courtney Cox, and the Broncos' Ashley Tomberlin and Katie Fahrer earning recognition. Rounding out the All-WCC team was San Diego's Jacquelyn Harris, who made her third consecutive appearance on the all-conference team. Gonzaga's Glenn Putyrae was tabbed for Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time.

WCC ROWING TEAM NOTES

Gonzaga
- Since the WCC Women's Rowing Championship was established in 1997, Gonzaga has claimed the conference crown 10 out of 11 years.

- Gonzaga swept all three races at the 2007 WCC Rowing Championship, earning the maximum number of points and winning each race by an average of 17 seconds.

- Returning to the line-up for the Zags this year are 2007 all-conference selections, Hanna McClintock and Kelly Steinhaus.

- Gonzaga's former assistant coach, Melissa Flint, has taken the helm as the new head coach, and has led the Zags to several top finishes this season.

- Gonzaga has dominated the II-Eight race, taking first in the heat the last eight years.

Loyola Marymount
- Loyola Marymount claimed the conference title in 2006, breaking Gonzaga's streak of nine straight WCC championships.

- Mami Heitbrink returns for the Lions this year, after being named to the 2007 WCC all-conference team.

- Also returning for LMU this season are 2007 National Scholar-Athletes Jill Austin, Kathryn Holzberger, Kathryn Maloney and Becky Nolan, as named by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association

- The Lions have finished no lower than second in all events leading up to the conference championship this spring.

- Head Coach Patrick Kelly has earned three WCC Coach of the Year awards, marking the second most in conference history. He trails former Gonzaga Head Coach Glenn Putyrae, who has earned the distinction four times.

Saint Mary's
- The Gaels recorded their best finish ever at the 2007 WCC Championships, tying for second place with Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara.

- 2007 WCC Coxswain of the Year, Kate Shalvoy, returns for the Gaels this year as she continues her command of the Varsity Eight boat.

- Also returning for Saint Mary's this year is 2007 All-WCC selection, Sierra Timmer.

- The Gaels finished second in the Varsity 8 heat at last year's WCC Championship, marking a program best result.

- In their most recent event, the Gaels finished first at the Windermere Regatta, defeating Arizona State by a margin of 18 seconds.

San Diego
- The Toreros claimed a fifth place finish in the 2007 WCC Rowing Championships, finishing the event with nine points.

- 2007 All-WCC selection, Jacquelyn Harris, returns this season after leading the Toreros to a second place finish in the Varsity Four boat race in last year's championship event.

- The Toreros have finished no lower than second in their last five regular season events, including three first place finishes at the Berg Cup Regatta, Row for the Cure, and most recently the San Diego City Cup.

- The Toreros have had 21 rowers named All-WCC, second only to Gonzaga

- San Diego Assistant Coach Kim Cupini, a former two time All-WCC performer for the Toreros (2000-2003), takes over the reins at San Diego this season as the Toreros' new head coach.

Santa Clara
- Santa Clara tied for second place at the 2007 WCC Championship, tying its best overall finish at the WCC Championship (second place at the 1998 and 1999 events).

- The Broncos return an All-WCC performer in senior Ashley Tomberlin.

- Santa Clara will be seeking its first-ever heat title in 2008. SCU has finished runner-up in the I-Eight race on two occasions (1998-99).

- Head Coach Carlo Facchino is in his fourth year with the Broncos

- Santa Clara is seeded fifth out of the five teams competing, but has gotten valuable experience against conference opponents earlier this season. At the San Diego Crew Classic, the Bronco Varsity 8 was in the Petite Final with both Saint Mary's and LMU. The Broncos finished two seconds back of Saint Mary's and just under one second from LMU.