University of Massachusets Athletics
Rowing Opens Fall Season At Head Of The Oklahoma
September 30, 2015 | Rowing
AMHERST, Mass. - The UMass rowing team opens its 2015 fall season this weekend in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where the Minutewomen are scheduled to compete in their first team regatta at Head of the Oklahoma.
The maroon and white enter the weekend on the heels of a successful spring season in 2015. Last year UMass defended its Dad Vail Regatta women’s title and its Atlantic 10 Championship title, the 15th A-10 Championship for UMass in program history. The win also qualified the Minutewomen for their second-straight NCAA Tournament bid where the Varsity 8+, Second Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ took to the water at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center with appearances in the C and D finals of the NCAA Championships. Feeding off of this momentum, the Minutewomen have their sights set on another series of successful races beginning this fall.
This weekend also marks the fourth straight year that UMass has rowed at the Head of the Oklahoma and the program hopes to build off of its previous successes at the regatta. Last season UMass posted an impressive trio of first place finishes during Day 1 competition. Carly Zanatta earned the top spot in the Open Lightweight 1x before teaming up with Emily Mann to secure first in the Open Lightweight 2x. UMass head coach Jim Dietz also entered the field of competition in the Men’s Master’s 1x E-J and took home first with an adjusted time of 14:58.
In the second day of competition, Zanatta tabbed a first place finish in the Collegiate 1x with Mann finishing close behind in third. Zanatta also teamed up with Mann, Sam Kolovson and Krysten Menks for a first place finish in the Open 4x.
This year UMass will be sending four to compete in the Head of the Oklahoma including returners Zanatta, Kolovson and Menks, along with newcomer Jill McGill. Kolovson is scheduled to compete in the Open 1x and will pair up with Menks in the Open 2x. Menks, Zanatta and McGill will each compete in the Open Lightweight 1x, while McGill and Zanatta will tandem in the Open Lightweight 2x. All four Minutewomen will also compete individually in the Collegiate 1x on Sunday morning before teaming up in the Open 4x later that same afternoon.
Head coach Jim Dietz will again compete in the Men’s Masters 1x E-J on Saturday afternoon as well.
Checking the Forecast
The forecast for Saturday predicts temperatures in the 60’s with rain showers in the morning. The afternoon looks clear with 10 to 20 mph winds from the east. A 7:13 p.m. sunset on Saturday will create a unique racing experience for the Minutewomen, as all four rowers are scheduled to compete under the lights at 9:00 p.m. in the Open 2x 500m Grand Final. Sunday is predicted to be 62 degrees and partly cloudy with five to 10 mph winds.
Looking Ahead
Following this weekend’s regatta, UMass is scheduled for back-to-back race days beginning on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Head of the Housatonic in Derby, Connecticut. The next day, the Minutewomen return home to host their only home regatta of the fall season: the Seven Sisters Sculling Regatta on Sunday, Oct. 11 on the Connecticut River in Hadley, Mass.
