Big Ten Tourney next test for rowers in Indianapolis

After surrendering the Dale England Cup to Duke this past weekend, IU Rowing Coach Steve Peterson said he understands it will be a tough road ahead. The Big Ten Championships are only two weeks away at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis.

“If we want go beyond the Big Ten and have a chance at NCAAs, then we’re going to have to finish even higher at the Big Tens, which is a tall task,” Peterson said.

Four of the seven Big Ten teams that compete in rowing fall within the top 13 nationally.

IU will be facing No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Ohio State, No. 9 Wisconsin and No. 13 Michigan State.

Minnesota is on the fringe of the top 20, receiving 35 votes, just eight behind No. 20 Dartmouth.

IU received 11 votes in the most recent poll.

“The result this weekend will definitely hurt us in national rankings,” Peterson said.
IU competed against Wisconsin and Minnesota earlier this season.

In two matchups with Wisconsin, the Hoosiers did not win a single race against the Badgers.

At the Big Ten Double Dual, IU also lost all six of its races to Minnesota.

IU and Purdue have already competed at Eagle Creek, the site of the Big Ten Championships.

They faced each other this year at the Indiana Invitational on March 25.

IU finished ahead of the Boilermakers in all of that day’s races.

When the teams return there May 13, they will go side-to-side with the five other teams from the Big Ten in the First and Second Varsity 8, First and Second Varsity 4 and First and Second Novice 8.

“Straightforward and simple, I love it,” Peterson said of all seven teams competing against each other at once. “But at the same time, it does not leave any second chances.”