NORFOLK, Va. – The Old Dominion University rowing team released their 2014-15 schedule on Tuesday morning. The Lady Monarchs' fall slate will feature five events, including the Tail of the Lafayette Regatta right here in Norfolk, Va., while the spring schedule will features six events, including the ODU Invite at home.
The Lady Monarchs begin fall competition for the Tail of the Lafayette on Oct. 4. ODU last competed on the Lafayette in the fall of 2010 where they claimed the top three events in the Collegiate Eight. Two weeks later, ODU travels up to Boston, Mass. to compete in the Head of the Charles Regatta. In their first ever Head of the Charles event last season, the Lady Monarchs finished in the top-25 among collegiate crews.
On Oct. 25-26, the Lady Monarchs head to Philadelphia, Pa. for the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta where Old Dominion took home the Commodore Cup a season ago.
ODU opens November with a trip to Seattle, Wash. for the Head of the Lake Regatta on Nov. 2 and close the month and the fall slate with the Rivanna Romp at the University of Virginia on Nov. 16.
The Lady Monarchs have never competed in the Head of the Lake Regatta. The regatta was established in 1981 and is considered the largest fall regatta on the West Coast. In the 2013 Rivanna Romp, the Lady Monarchs completed the competition with a ninth-place finish in the Varsity Eight event and a 13th-place finish out of 28 boats in the Varsity Four event.
Old Dominion's unofficial spring season starts on Feb. 20 with a scrimmage against Iowa in Deland, Fla. Iowa completed the 2013-14 season with a seventh-place finish at the Big Ten Championships.
The 2015 season officially starts on March 21 with the ODU Invite in Norfolk, which features the University of North Carolina. Last season, the Tarheels finished in second place at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships.
After a two-week break from competition, the team will compete on the road at the San Diego Crew Classic on April 4. Last season, Old Dominion won the Varsity Eight Cal Up Petite race, beating Loyola, St. Joseph’s, Purdue, San Diego State and Villanova in the process.
The Lady Monarchs then travel to Cherry Hill, N.J. for the Knecht Cup, where the Varsity Eight picked up a bronze medal last season. Old Dominion beat Boston College, Drexel and Tulsa to earn third overall at the event.
On April 25, the Lady Monarchs finish the regular season, taking on the University of Miami and the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla. Miami took home sixth place at the ACC championship event and welcome back Second Team All-ACC honoree, Breanna Hayton. UCF finished as runners-up at the inaugural American Athletic Conference Rowing Championship last season and return All-AAC First Team selections Lauren Aiello and Ginni Dunlop.
Old Dominion will look to improve upon its eighth-place finished at the Conference USA Championships last season when the team heads to Oak Ridge, Tenn. on May 15 for their first Big 12 Conference Championship event.
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