University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Rowing Spring Preview
February 17, 2017 | Rowing
After a strong fall season, Tennessee Rowing returns to the water for its 22nd spring season.
Spring racing differs from fall racing in that the distance the crews race is cut down to a 2,000-meter head-to-head sprint.
The Volunteers will begin the season with a scrimmage against the UCF Knights in Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 18, after which they will return home and start their season in earnest at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational on March 11-12 in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
The team will then have an on-campus training camp during UT's spring break before returning to Oak Ridge to take on Indiana on March 19.
Tennessee travels to the San Diego Crew Classic on April 1-2 and will then return home to host West Virginia, Old Dominion and Alabama in the Big 12 Double Dual on April 8 in Oak Ridge. The Clemson Invitational on April 22-23 will serve as the final tune-up before the Volunteers compete in the 2017 Big 12 Conference Championship on May 13-14 in Oak Ridge.
Conference Clarification
The Vols compete in the Big 12 Conference as affiliate members alongside fellow SEC member Alabama. Old Dominion, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia round out the other members. Tennessee finished third overall at the 2016 Big 12 Conference championship, placing its top two boats on the medal stand.
Returning Rowers
Tennessee's 2016 Big 12 Conference championship V8+ and 2V8+ lineups will return a combined 12 athletes for the 2017 spring campaign. The V4+ will return four. Taylor Upson and Pari Baker, both members of the 2016 Big 12 All-Conference team, return for the 2017 season.
A Clever Crew
Last season, Vol Rowing placed 13 athletes on the Big 12 Academic All-Conference team, with 11 on the first team and two on the second team. Tennessee also had seven rowers named CRCA National Scholar-Athletes. The Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll had 12 rowers, and the Spring First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll had nine freshman rowers.
