Jan. 25, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - In recent years, the Saint Joseph's women's rowing team has raced into the school record books. Coming off two of the most successful seasons in program history, the Hawks have great expectations for the 2008 spring season as SJU continues to develop its lengthy tradition on the water.

The Hawks ended the 2007 season with a strong showing at the Dad Vail Regatta, as the Varsity 8, 2nd Varsity 8, and Freshman 8 all advanced to the Grand Finals, with the Varsity 8 taking the silver medal. SJU will look to build on these successes, as the Hawks will return all of the athletes from these boats.

The 2008 Hawks are a deep squad, and head coach Gerry Quinlan will rely on returning captains Alicia Easby-Smith, Liz Sauter, and Debbie Bateman for leadership. In addition, seniors Kelly McKinley and Meg Stanton, juniors Kaitlin Reehill and Kristen Bonnici, and sophomores Emma Harmon and Colleen Greway will be leaned on to contribute to the team's success. Junior Lauren Sysol returns from injury this spring, and will likely vie for a spot in the top boat, as will a number of sophomores, including Lauren Rozsits and Christina DiSanto. The competition will be intense for the Varsity 8 squad, as the oarswomen from last season's 2nd Varsity 8 boat will be looking to move up to the first boat.

"We have a solid platform from which to build," said Quinlan. "We must continue to gain speed and again raise the bar in everything we do on and off of the water. Our training will be similar to the past few years continuing with long rows, erging, swimming, and yoga through March. In the fall, we mixed up the varsity boats every week and got some good intrasquad races. We finished the fall with every member of our freshman team winning a gold medal at the Frostbite Regatta." Quinlan also acknowledges his team's shortcomings from last season, but hopes that the work the team has put in during the fall will benefit them on the water in the spring.

"Our team is much more physical and athletic than in previous years," Quinlan commented. "Our shortfall early last season was race tactics. We improved all season with taking control of races and taking seats. We dedicated much of the fall to working on fundamentals and race instincts and tactics. With all of our returnees we look tough to beat if we maintain our focus and intensity. We also have a strong team dynamic. We're great teammates, and that could mean the difference in 2008." The Hawks have set lofty goals for the upcoming season. The team aims to win all of the Dad Vail races it enters, as well as breaking into the Top 20 in the national rankings. In addition, the squad will seek to schedule races with teams already in the Top 20 in an effort to test themselves against the best in the country.

"We have a very challenging race schedule again this year," said Quinlan. "We race five times in March to get us ready for the Atlantic 10 Championships in late April and the Dad Vail Regatta in May."

SJU has also set goals for achievement off the water as well. "We are always encouraged by how hard our athletes work at everything," Quinlan said. "We ended the spring [2007] semester with an excellent team GPA of 3.31." Without a doubt, the team will strive hard to duplicate that feat this season.

The Hawks will push off for the first time this spring on March 8 with a race against Delaware, Drexel, and Lehigh on the Schuylkill River.