Women's Row 6 faces changes, challenges to compete

After disastrous qualification attempts in past years, Athena is solidly in the field for the 2001 race. The independent team is joined by sorority Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Phi Omega in Row 6, and all expect to improve on their qualification positions.\nAlpha Chi Omega (3:06.85)\nAlpha Chi Omega is the only team in Row 6 that did not improve on last year's qualifying position. But they finished highest of the three teams when it counted.\nTwo veterans and two rookies compose the racing team, but after last year's 11th-place finish, confidence remains high and the team desires a Top 10 finish, members said. \n"Race day is all about being confident in the pack, so you can get out there and move up in the race," sophomore Liz Keck said.\nAthena (3:09.21)\nTeam Athena underwent a horrible experience at last year's qualifications after qualifying in its fourth and final attempt, members said. So this year's team members felt a certain urgency to qualify early.\n"The worst part of qualifications is just waiting around, so we wanted to qualify on our first try," junior Mavourneen Ryan said. "We were so determined to qualify early and it only took two attempts."\nLast year was not positive because of a missing rider at qualifications, which decreased team morale, Ryan said. But this year is a different story, and these independent riders feel new confidence. They said they hope to finish in the top five even though they face tough odds.\n"There's definitively support that sororities get, but I think we do this for a better reason," Ryan said. "We participate because we enjoy riding."\nAlpha Phi Omega (3:09.83)\nAlpha Phi Omega's racing team looks a little different from last year. In fact, the team has no returning riders from the 2000 team.\nAlthough inexperience plays a factor with these four riders, they said they believe that the team's increased athleticism will propel the team past last year's 23rd-place finish.\n"We don't feel added pressure to do better because we're rookies," junior Meryl Levine said. "If anything our inexperience could add pressure, but the experienced riders don't want to get beaten by rookies, so they would feel more pressure"