Tennessee To Host 2018 Big 12 Championship

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. -- Tennessee will host the 2018 Big 12 Rowing Championship on Saturday and Sunday at Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Events will begin at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday and 9 a.m. ET on Sunday.

This will be the final home regatta for 10 Tennessee athletes. Seniors Nicole Burnett, Nicole Chojnacky, Jennifer Davis, Lauren Higdon, Aja List, Katie Porter, Katherine Pearson and Iman Woodyard are all set to graduate before competition begins on Saturday. Senior Gabbie Richardson is completing an internship and plans to graduate in the fall, and sophomore Amalia Tsiavou is in her final year of eligibility.

The winner of the two-day championship event will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Rowing Championship which takes place in Sarasota, Fla. on May 25-27. In addition to Tennessee, the Big 12 Championship will feature No. 3 Texas, No. RV Oklahoma, No. RV Alabama, Kansas, Kansas State, West Virginia and Old Dominion.

Admission is free for the entire regatta. Live video and results of the championship will be available at the Big 12 Conference Championship Central page.

FORMAT

The eight teams will be divided into two four-team heats for a 2000m sprint race on Saturday. The top three finishers in each heat will advance to the Grand Final on Sunday morning. The fourth place finisher from each heat will compete in the Petite Final on Sunday.

Three events will be scored to determine the automatic qualifier from the Big 12 Conference. The most points will be awarded for the results in the 1V8+ followed by the 2V8+ and the 1V4+.

FOUR IN A ROW

This marks the fourth straight season that the Vols will host the Big 12 Championship after joining the conference for rowing in 2015. In the 2017 championship, Tennessee took third place overall behind Texas and Oklahoma.

SCHEDULE

Saturday, May 12
2:00 p.m. - First Eight Heat 1
2:15 p.m. - First Eight Heat 2
2:30 p.m. - Second Eight Heat 1
2:45 p.m. - Second Eight Heat 2
3:00 p.m. - First Four Heat 1
3:15 p.m. - First Four Heat 2
3:30 p.m. - Second Four Heat 1
3:45 p.m. - Second Four Heat 2
4:00 p.m. - Third Eight Heat 1
4:15 p.m. - Third Eight Heat 2
4:30 p.m. - Third Four Exhibition

Sunday, May 13
9:00 a.m. - Third Eight— Grand Final
9:15 a.m. - Second Four— Grand Final
9:30 a.m. - First Four — Petite Final
9:45 a.m. - First Four — Grand Final
10:00 a.m. - Second Eight— Petite Final
10:15 a.m. - Second Eight— Grand Final
10:30 a.m. - First Eight— Petite Final
10:45 a.m. - First Eight— Grand Final
11:30 a.m. - Awards Ceremony