INDIANAPOLIS – It was an up and down day for the 10th-ranked Wisconsin women's rowing team, which still managed to earn its eighth-consecutive top-three Big Ten rowing championships finish. Racing took place on Sunday at Eagle Creek Park.

In a deepening Big Ten Conference, the Badgers posted a fifth-place varsity eight finish and still claimed third place overall.

"We had a competitive day," head coach Bebe Bryans said. "I wouldn't say that we raced every race the way we had planned to and the way we had hoped to. I'm proud of what we did and I am proud of our team."

Ohio State won its fifth-straight team title with 180 points, edging second-place Michigan by one point on the strength of the Buckeyes varsity eight title. The Badgers placed third with 126 points, while Indiana and Iowa tied for fourth place with 106 points each.

"The team came in third at Big Tens and we were seeded third going in so we were able to maintain our seed," head coach Bebe Bryans said. "It was as competitive a regatta as we knew it was going to be. Ohio State and Michigan were really fast today and congratulations to them for having such a great regatta -- and to Ohio State for once again showing they are the premiere team in our conference and probably if not the premiere team in the country, certainly one of them."

The Badgers earned podium finishes with their second varsity eight, varsity four, second varsity four and novice eight boats. Each of those took third behind the Ohio State and Michigan combination. UW's second novice eight notched the team's best result with a second-place finish behind the Buckeyes.

"For the second freshman eight, they raced really well," Bryans stated "It was their second race of the year. To come out and show the composure they did and get up on the podium, that was really fantastic for them. Same thing for the first freshman boat getting up on the podium once again just shows the depth and the talent that we are able to recruit here to Wisconsin."

Wisconsin's top boat, the varsity eight, ended up fifth behind Ohio State and Michigan, as well as third-place Indiana and fourth-place Iowa. It marked the first time in nine years UW placed outside the top four in the varsity eight.

"In the varsity boats, we were really expecting to be a little bit more competitive than we were able to be today," Bryans stated. "The first varsity four did a great job in being right in the hunt with Michigan and Ohio State. The second varsity eight and the varsity eight were a little bit off the mark, more so than we thought.

"We've got some work to do there. Hopefully we will have the chance to redeem ourselves and put together a little bit better races and get the chance to go on to represent the University of Wisconsin at the NCAA championship."

Wisconsin will find out its NCAA fate on Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. Should the Badgers find themselves among the 22 teams to reach the NCAA championships, they will travel to West Windsor, New Jersey, and compete from May 26-28 for the title.

"We don't control that destiny," Bryans concluded. "We'll have to wait until Tuesday to see what is going on there. I am fairly confident that we will have that opportunity, but we will have to wait and see."  

Postseason Awards
A pair of Badgers were named to the All-Big Ten teams as senior Maria Schmid was selected as a First-Team All-Big Ten rower, while fellow senior Maddie Wanamaker was chosen to Second-Team All-Big Ten.

In addition, senior Anika Nelson was named Wisconsin's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
 
 Big Ten Championships
May 14, 2017
Indianapolis
Eagle Creek Park
2000 Meters
 
Team Scores
1. Ohio State, 180; 2. Michigan, 179; 3. Wisconsin, 126; 4t. Indiana, 106; 4t. Iowa, 196; 6. Michigan State, 76; 7. Minnesota, 54; 8. Rutgers, 24

Varsity Eight
1. Ohio State, 6:08.792; 2. Michigan, 6:11.194; 3. Indiana, 6:15.442; 4. Iowa, 6:16.528; 5. Wisconsin, 6:22.677; 6. Michigan State, 6:23.855; 7. Minnesota, 6:33.431; 8. Rutgers, 6:44.562
UW Lineup – Coxswain Lily Hansen, Maria Schmid, Morganne Freeman, Maddie Wanamaker, Lexi Siverling, Claire Scott, Sarah Gibbons, Gabby Simons, Janie French
 
Second Varsity Eight
1. Michigan, 6:14.503; 2. Ohio State, 6:16.738; 3. Wisconsin, 6:22.140; 4. Iowa, 6:23.425; 5. Indiana, 6:27.782; 6. Michigan State, 6:32.868; 7. Minnesota, 6:34.608; 8. Rutgers, 7:05.665
UW Lineup – Coxswain Saylor Martin, Callie Hebert, Renee Olley, Elisabet Pietz, Monica Gerber, Cheyenne Brandt, Eliza Clifford, Megan Whitehouse, Dani Steinberg
 
Varsity Four
1. Michigan, 6:58.226; 2. Ohio State, 7:01.162; 3. Wisconsin, 7:02.920; 4. Michigan State, 7:11.257; 5. Indiana, 7:15.672; 6. Iowa, 7:18.536; 7. Minnesota, 7:21.802; 8. Rutgers, 7:34.938
UW Lineup – Coxswain Rosie Brezynski, Alison Morrison, Kaitlin McKeogh, Maren Schultz, Marissa Gibson
 
Second Varsity Four
1. Ohio State, 6:58.771; 2. Michigan, 7:01.637; 3. Wisconsin, 7:08.916; 4. Michigan State, 7:21.910; 5. Minnesota, 7:27.275; 6. Indiana, 7:31.472; 7. Iowa, 7:33.494; 8. Rutgers, 8:04.436
UW Lineup – Coxswain Jane Merriman, Alicia Evans, Niamh Martin, Molly Jennerman, Alexandra Lohrenz
 
Third Varsity Four
1. Michigan, 7:04.932; 2. Ohio State, 7:09.984; 3. Minnesota, 7:24.864; 4. Wisconsin, 7:27.045; 5. Michigan State, 7:34.502; 6. Iowa, 7:41.021; 7. Indiana, 7:42.389
 
UW Lineup – Coxswain Grace Kim, Lucia Kissinger, Jessie Bowden, Amanda Morris, Anika Nelson
 
Novice Eight
1. Michigan, 6:36.905; 2. Ohio State, 6:39.536; 3. Wisconsin, 6:46.155; 4. Iowa, 6:47.362; 5. Indiana, 6:51.596; 6. Minnesota, 6:54.498; 7. Rutgers, 7:10.661; 8. Michigan State, 10:36.832
UW Lineup – Coxswain Maggie Mandarano, Katherine Grose, Elizabeth Clarke, Jaci Moseley, Orennia Goetzinger, Anna Hinchley, Raegan Hinrichs, Taylor Caudle, Hannah Rowe
 
Second Novice Eight
1. Ohio State, 6:53.349; 2. Wisconsin, 6:59.525; 3. Michigan, 7:11.505; 4. Iowa, 7:16.584
UW Lineup – Coxswain Nicola Levy, Samantha Harris, Leah Lustig, Paige Gorst, Emily Wurst, Madi Wall, Sinclair Richards, Lauren O'Connor, Makayla Stow