ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College women’s varsity eight lands in Sacramento, Calif. on Tuesday in preparations for the NCAA Rowing Championships on the Gold River.
Follow the Lakers all week with daily blogs from senior
Leah Niecgorski and special blogs by director of athletics Joe Kimball beginning on Wednesday.
Saturday's Blog:
Hello Readers!
Well this is it. It is Saturday night here at 8:54pm and our race is less than 12 hours away. It is getting close to bedtime but most of us are too excited to get any sleep.
Adrian is telling us not to be nervous but we can't help it. Tomorrow is much more than just a race for us. For the returning rowers from last year, it is a chance to take back what we felt was stolen from us last year at the NCAA Championship. For the freshman and novices this year, it is the perfect way to end their first season. For the seniors, it is the last chance we have to win NCAAs, the last chance to row with these girls and the last time to participate in athletics at this level.
No matter what happens tomorow I know we are all going to be in tears. This year has literally been a phenomenal way to end my rowing career. We have rowed with no spares for almost a month now, and had to overcome many injuries. We have repeated all of our gold medals from last year and we beat every D-II and DIII school we have faced. Winning the NCAA tomorrow will be the cherry on top of four amazing years with Mercyhurst Rowing, but no matter what happens nothing can lessen the value of the feats we have already accomplished.
Tomorrow we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Goodnight for the last time!
Leah
Race time: 9:35am
Lane 1: Mercyhurst
Lane 2: Western Washington
Lane 3: Seattle Pacific
Lane 4: Barry
Friday's Blog:
Good Morning Readers!
Well if you have been following us on the internet you already know what has happened today, but just in case you haven't been, here is the Friday update.
This morning started off with a practice run down the course at 6:00am. Everything went great. The set was solid, the ratio was there and the confidence showed in the way we rowed.
After the row we went back to the hotel to kill a few hours before our 11:00am race. We were supposed to eat breakfast but no one really had the stomach to eat a lot. After sitting in the breakfast room for a few minutes, everyone parted to their rooms to get dressed and then mentally prepare for the race.
We already raced this race before. We have beaten FIT multiple times and we beat Seattle Pacific at Dad Vails. There was no way we could lose the race, but still the nausea and the nervous jitters that come every race day, came back to us all this morning.
On the way up the course the boat was calm and quiet. Our faces stood still but inside our minds were all racing. We got to the start line about 20 minutes early, and I knew it was time for the lucky pee. For those of you who do not know, I have to pee at the start line. It is weird but it is a ritual and a good luck charm and I am in no mood to break the streak this weekend. So after the lucky pee we backed into the stake boats and sat ready for the annoucer.
Mercyhurst ready, FIT ready, Seatlle Pacific ready? Attenion... ROW! Right off the start line we took the lead. One seat ahead, 3 seats ahead, on the bow ball, open water! Just like that we blew right through the two other crews and took a commanding lead.
500 meters down and we are still way ahead. Through the 1000 meter mark we have open water, and we are only rowing at a rate of 30. 1500 meters down and nothing changes. It looks like this is going to be an easy win for us. 250 meters to go, less than a minute left and Lindsey calls for one final lengthen. Out of my peripheral I see Seatlle moving up on us, and I quickly decide to yell back to her to take it up a little bit. We take up the rate to a 33 and pass through the finish line untouched.
What an easy race!
After our race, the favorites, Western Washington came down in heat II and we watched it on the jumbotron. Western did take first, but it wasn't given to them. Barry University, challenged Western all the way to the 1000 meter mark.
Today was just another day at the office. In fact it would be the last day for the year that we would just be punching in at the office.
Tomorrow is a resting day for us so I will not have much to reflect about. However I will fill you in on our last team meeting of the season, and prepare you for the last time Alicia Peterson, Annie Schiller and I will ever race for the Mercyhurst Lakers again at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championship.
Goodnight Readers!
Thursday's Blog:
Hello Again Readers!
At our boat meeting on Wednesday night, Adrian decided that the best way to prepare for our racing on Friday was to treat today like a dress rehearsal. So we woke up this morning at 6:00am to go for a steady state swing row. After the row we got breakfast and then were able to take a quick nap.
The second practice of the day was scheduled for 2pm, but on account of some rainy weather and high winds we got out a little bit later. Today's weather is supposed to be the worst of the week, so we are all looking forward to a sunny day tomorrow.
Both practices went great today. In fact it seems as though we rowed with some of the best set and ratio we have had all spring season.
After the second practice, we hurried to the hotel to get ready for the NCAA banquet. All the girls looked great in their dresses.
Dinner at the banquet was delicious as usual. After the dinner the host speaker announced that one girl from each Division would receive an Elite 88 Award. The Elite 88 Award goes to each athlete of each NCAA sport in each Division that has the highest GPA.
Who would get the Elite 88 Award in our Division? Junior Mercyhurst Rower Bethany Brun!!!
Beth currently has a GPA of 3.93, double majoring in Religious Studies and Sociology. It was really awesome to see a Mercyhurst student win the award and give our program positive attention. Congrats Beth!
After the award there was a guest speaker. His name was Mike Robbins, and he is a former Stanford baseball pitcher. Robbins gave an awesome tear jerking speech to us about appreciating the moment and acknowledging the people who helped us get to where we are today.
Tomorrow (Friday) is a big day for us but we are completely confident. Like Adrian always says tomorrow is "just another day at work. We go in and punch our card, win and then we punch out."
In the spirit of appreciating the moment and acknowledging those who have helped us I would like to personally thank Mom and Dad <3 (Mary and Leonard Niecgorski) and the rest of the Niecgorski clan,
the Crosbys, the Carlyons, the Bruns, the Bestes, the O'Briens, the Petersons, the Salens, the Schillers and all of the rest of our families and friends. Coach Adrian Spracklen, Ted Nagorsen and Chris Niebaur. Athletic Trainer Sarah Pati, the College Athletic Directors, Sports Information and anyone else who has had a hand in our great successes over these past two years.
None of us would get the chance to be here if it wasn't for all of you. Thank you for the opportunities.
Oh yeah I almost forgot. Friday we race at 11:00am. We are seeded second and will face FIT and Seattle Pacific in the heat. Goodnight!
Leah
Wednesday's Blog:
Hello Readers!
My name is
Leah Niecgorski and I am a senior on the women's rowing team. If you haven't heard we are in Sacramento right now to compete for the Division II Varsity 8 rowing title.
The team started the journey on Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. We drove to Cleveland from Mercyhurst to fly the 5-hour trip to Sacramento. Surprisingly the weather was not as pleasant as we hoped it would be. The rain was too strong to go for a run outside at the lake so instead of doing a light workout in the afternoon we had the day off. After arriving at the hotel at around 3:30 pm, (head coach) Adrian quickly took us to an English restaurant to fill our stomachs. Normally on racing trips we eat very smart, loading up on carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables but since it was Tuesday and racing doesn't start until Friday Adrian let us have one dinner with greasy appetizers!
After dinner we headed back to the Marriott and most fell right asleep but a few of us swam a couple laps in the hotel pool to loosen up our legs and then hit the sack.
Wednesday morning started off with an awesome free breakfast at the hotel and then a trip to the lake to go for a nice light 30 minute jog. It would have been nice to go for a row this morning but the aquatic center here was not opened for practicing until 3:30.
In the afternoon we finally got hands on and took the boat for 2 laps through the course. It felt really good to finally get on the water and start mentally preparing for the upcoming weekend. There was a strong headwind during the practice laps, and we did have a few minor set issues at the start of the workout but we quickly got back into our groove within the first 500 meters.
All in all everyone seems very relaxed.
Talk to you tomorrow!!
2010 NCAA ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
D-I & D-II: May 28-30, 2010
D-III: May 28-29, 2010
Site: Sacramento State Aquatic Center
Gold River, Calif.
Host: Washington State University
Schedule of Events
2010 NCAA ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
D-I & D-II: May 28-30, 2010
D-III: May 28-29, 2010
Site: Sacramento State Aquatic Center
Gold River, Calif.
Host: Washington State University
Schedule of Events
Division II Only
Friday, May 28
Time Division Event
6-7 a.m. All Divisions Course available for practice
11 a.m. Division II Eights - Heat 1
11:15 a.m. Division II Eights - Heat 2
11:30 a.m. Division II Fours - Heat 1
11:45 a.m. Division II Fours - Heat 2
Saturday, May 29
Time Division Event
7-8 a.m. All Divisions Course available for practice
10:30 a.m. Division II Eights Repechage
10:45 a.m. Division II Fours Repechage
2-4 p.m. All Divisions Course available for practice
Sunday, May 30
Time Division Event
7-8 a.m. Divisions I/II Course available for practice
9 a.m. Division II Fours Grand Final (places 1-3)
9:15 a.m. Division II Eights Petite Final (places 5-6)
9:30 a.m. Division II Eights Grand Final (places 1-4)
12 p.m. Division II Awards ceremony
TICKET INFORMATION
$40 - all session - adults
$25 - all session - senior citizens/students/youth
$15 - day pass - adults
$10 - day pass - senior citizens/students/youth
Official NCAA Championship Web site