Temple University Athletics
Saturday, March 23
Cooper River, N.J.
Temple University
vs
Murphy Cup Regatta
Temple's varsity eight competes at the 2018 Navy Day Regatta
Women's Rowing Begins Spring Season on Saturday
3.18.19 | Women's Rowing
PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's rowing team opens the 2019 racing season this weekend and if early speed is any indication, this will be one to remember.
"I'm the most excited I've been for a season," said head coach Rebecca Grzybowski. "Every year we get better and we see progress over the winter, but I think we're further along now in mid-March than we've been in any other March. I'm seeing people execute at a level that we haven't seen before technically, and I'm seeing a lot more consistency at the top end."
Temple's recruiting efforts have resulted in top-level athletes for several years now, but the current Owls' freshmen class is one of their best. Their speed is pushing the team to reach new heights.
"There's more competition this year, we have brought faster and faster freshman in, and in particular, ones who come in and aren't afraid to go fast," said Grzybowski. "It's made people re-calibrate what they think is good, what they think is fast, and what they think is enough. That's been really fun to see – they've re-calibrated that as a unit, not just one or two people, where there's a star here and there, it's everybody stepping up in a major way."
Temple's already recording the fastest off-land speeds that the team has had.
"We've got a V8 and 2V8 erg average that's unlike anything I've ever seen before," said Grzybowski. "The goal now is to translate that to on the water speed, which is coming along nicely."
In order to better translate erg speeds to the water, Temple changed some of its training plan this year, focusing on target splits to benchmark progress throughout the season and to set goals leading up to championship races.
Three captains -- seniors Rachel Kelley and Danielle Ober, and junior Megan Cook will lead Temple's squad this season.
"The captains have been fantastic," explained Grzybowski. "I think they're just a really good mix of desire, confidence, and experience, but also knowing how to push people and pull people where they need to be."
A mentality change this season has also positioned the team for success. That mentality change starts from the top down, as Grzybowski specifically credits her senior class for their buy in and their leadership.
"The whole senior class in general has really stepped up and they're a special group," noted Grzybowski. "We've been saying that since they were freshmen, they had an attitude to them and a personality that we appreciated. So to see them as freshmen and to have them evolve is great. Every one of them fills a different role and they do it in a really supportive way. I think it means a lot to this team."
Temple has 11 seniors on its roster, a testament to the dedication that the Owls' class of 2019 has to the program. Coxswains Kelley and Allie Nussbaum join rowers Emma Alford, Victoria Brooks, Mary Margaret Gresham, Ciara O'Sullivan, Ober, Anna Pansky, Jenna Rosado, Gabriela Thomas, and Mariel Tucker in making up the senior group.
Temple's fall tune-up season was short but successful, as new Owls hit the water for the first time and the veterans got to sharpen their skills. Three head racing events, including the famed Head of the Charles Regatta, were on the docket, with the team grabbing five medals and a host of top 10 finishes.
Now, after a long winter of training indoors, the Owls are back on the water and ready to test their new speeds against a national-caliber schedule.
Temple's season schedule looks different from years past, but was built with the idea of racing better competition than ever before. Temple will be on the Schuylkill for just three races this season, but the Owls have found top competition up and down the coast.
The 37th annual Murphy Cup Regatta opens the schedule, as many top teams will head to the Schuylkill for Temple's signature event. The Owls then head to the Doc Hosea Regatta in nearby Camden, N.J. to face nationally ranked boats on the Cooper River on March 30.
The two-day Knecht Cup in Cherry Hill, N.J. on April 13 and 14 opens the month for the Owls, followed by Drexel's Kerr Cup on the Schuylkill on April 20.
The Owls will then head south to Raleigh, N.C., to compete in UNC's Lake Wheeler Invitational on April 26 and 27, which includes top competition from all over the country. Another tough event follows, as Temple competes in one of New England's premiere events on May 2 – the Eastern Sprints.
Championship season begins on Friday May 10, as the Owls return to the two-day Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta. After three years of conflicts with the American Athletic Conference Championships, Temple is able to compete at Philadelphia's top regatta for the first time since 2015.
The American Athletic Conference Championship will be contested a week later, on May 19 in Oklahoma City, Okla. The event, which takes place at the USRowing National High Performance Center, will serve as qualification for the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Championships close out the slate, held May 31 to June 2 at Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, Ind.
"I'm the most excited I've been for a season," said head coach Rebecca Grzybowski. "Every year we get better and we see progress over the winter, but I think we're further along now in mid-March than we've been in any other March. I'm seeing people execute at a level that we haven't seen before technically, and I'm seeing a lot more consistency at the top end."
Temple's recruiting efforts have resulted in top-level athletes for several years now, but the current Owls' freshmen class is one of their best. Their speed is pushing the team to reach new heights.
"There's more competition this year, we have brought faster and faster freshman in, and in particular, ones who come in and aren't afraid to go fast," said Grzybowski. "It's made people re-calibrate what they think is good, what they think is fast, and what they think is enough. That's been really fun to see – they've re-calibrated that as a unit, not just one or two people, where there's a star here and there, it's everybody stepping up in a major way."
Temple's already recording the fastest off-land speeds that the team has had.
"We've got a V8 and 2V8 erg average that's unlike anything I've ever seen before," said Grzybowski. "The goal now is to translate that to on the water speed, which is coming along nicely."
In order to better translate erg speeds to the water, Temple changed some of its training plan this year, focusing on target splits to benchmark progress throughout the season and to set goals leading up to championship races.
Three captains -- seniors Rachel Kelley and Danielle Ober, and junior Megan Cook will lead Temple's squad this season.
"The captains have been fantastic," explained Grzybowski. "I think they're just a really good mix of desire, confidence, and experience, but also knowing how to push people and pull people where they need to be."
A mentality change this season has also positioned the team for success. That mentality change starts from the top down, as Grzybowski specifically credits her senior class for their buy in and their leadership.
"The whole senior class in general has really stepped up and they're a special group," noted Grzybowski. "We've been saying that since they were freshmen, they had an attitude to them and a personality that we appreciated. So to see them as freshmen and to have them evolve is great. Every one of them fills a different role and they do it in a really supportive way. I think it means a lot to this team."
Temple has 11 seniors on its roster, a testament to the dedication that the Owls' class of 2019 has to the program. Coxswains Kelley and Allie Nussbaum join rowers Emma Alford, Victoria Brooks, Mary Margaret Gresham, Ciara O'Sullivan, Ober, Anna Pansky, Jenna Rosado, Gabriela Thomas, and Mariel Tucker in making up the senior group.
Temple's fall tune-up season was short but successful, as new Owls hit the water for the first time and the veterans got to sharpen their skills. Three head racing events, including the famed Head of the Charles Regatta, were on the docket, with the team grabbing five medals and a host of top 10 finishes.
Now, after a long winter of training indoors, the Owls are back on the water and ready to test their new speeds against a national-caliber schedule.
Temple's season schedule looks different from years past, but was built with the idea of racing better competition than ever before. Temple will be on the Schuylkill for just three races this season, but the Owls have found top competition up and down the coast.
The 37th annual Murphy Cup Regatta opens the schedule, as many top teams will head to the Schuylkill for Temple's signature event. The Owls then head to the Doc Hosea Regatta in nearby Camden, N.J. to face nationally ranked boats on the Cooper River on March 30.
The two-day Knecht Cup in Cherry Hill, N.J. on April 13 and 14 opens the month for the Owls, followed by Drexel's Kerr Cup on the Schuylkill on April 20.
The Owls will then head south to Raleigh, N.C., to compete in UNC's Lake Wheeler Invitational on April 26 and 27, which includes top competition from all over the country. Another tough event follows, as Temple competes in one of New England's premiere events on May 2 – the Eastern Sprints.
Championship season begins on Friday May 10, as the Owls return to the two-day Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta. After three years of conflicts with the American Athletic Conference Championships, Temple is able to compete at Philadelphia's top regatta for the first time since 2015.
The American Athletic Conference Championship will be contested a week later, on May 19 in Oklahoma City, Okla. The event, which takes place at the USRowing National High Performance Center, will serve as qualification for the NCAA Championships. The NCAA Championships close out the slate, held May 31 to June 2 at Eagle Creek Reservoir in Indianapolis, Ind.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
/ Women's Rowing
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