Navy Rowing Teams to Open Spring Seasons Saturday

All three programs slated to compete

	Navy Crew

March 22, 2007

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The spring racing season for the Navy crew programs opens up this weekend with each of the three teams taking part in races Saturday throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Navy's heavyweight team will begin its season by racing against Columbia and George Washington on Lake Carnegie in Princeton, N.J. The varsity race between the Mids and the Lions will be for the Maxwell Stevenson Trophy, a race Navy has won in each of the last five years. Navy posted a three-second victory over Columbia to win the trophy last season.

"I expect both Columbia and George Washington to be improved over last year," said Navy heavyweight head coach Rick Clothier. "We are coming off a spring break that was great for the first four days and not so good the final two days, in part because of training limitations due to the weather."

Navy's women's team will attempt to repeat its strong performance of a year ago when the program takes part in the Murphy Cup on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. The Mids won the varsity race, placed second in the second varsity and first novice races and third in the varsity four race during the 2006 regatta.

In addition to the Mids and regatta-host Temple, the list of other women's teams competing at the event includes Drexel, Villanova and Bucknell.

"It's the first week of the season, so there are a lot of unknowns for us and everyone else right now," said Navy women's head coach Mike Hughes. "We very much like the team we will be placing on the water and are excited to see how we measure up against the other schools at this very early point in the season. If we can put together two solid races Saturday, I feel we will have put ourselves in a position to be successful again at the event."

Saturday will mark the 25th edition of the Murphy Cup, which is named after John Murphy, a rower from Temple who lost his life in an automobile accident while a student-athlete at the school. Taking part in the regatta has a special meaning for Hughes as he was Murphy's high school rowing coach.

The Navy lightweight team will begin its spring season as it has for each of the last five years by facing Princeton. Navy's varsity boat will take a three-year winning streak over the Tigers into the race on Lake Carnegie.

"After Princeton won the Head of the Charles and seeing their depth at the Princeton Chase, they have to be one of the favorites going into the spring season," said Navy lightweight head coach Rob Friedrich. "With that said, I'm happy with our progress at this point of the year and believe all of our boats will put up some good races this Saturday."