LIVE STREAM  ||  LIVE RESULTS
 
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The No. 4 Wisconsin women's lightweight rowing team did what it needed to do on Saturday at the 2018 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championships, putting it in position for the three national title races on the docket Sunday on Mercer Lake.
 
Racing for the first time in 34 days, the Badgers got rid of some rust competing for lane assignments in the lightweight eight and four events, and reached the grand final in the lightweight double via the repechage.
 
Lightweight Eight
Contesting for lane assignments for Sunday's national title race, the Badgers crossed the finish line at 2000 meters fifth in a tightly-contested heat. Wisconsin timed six minutes, 44.796 seconds, less than four seconds behind top-ranked Stanford (6:40.823).
 
Second-place Boston University finished second in 6:42.799, with Princeton third in 6:43.278 and Georgetown fourth in 6:44.349.
 
Sunday's title event, currently scheduled for 6:44 a.m. CT, will feature the Badgers, Stanford, Boston University, Princeton, Georgetown, MIT and Harvard-Radcliffe.
 
"I know the eight was really proud of that performance, as were coach Karley Laney and I," lightweight coach Dusty Mattison stated. "It was just really cool to see five lightweight eights coming down and finishing within four seconds of each other. I have really not seen that in the past.

"We talked about how they are really racing at an amazing time right now for collegiate lightweight women where the level has jumped and you have to be pushing the envelope to be up there with the pack. This is where great performances come out, when you are pushed by others around you. They are excited for this."

Lightweight Four
Another event on Saturday simply for lane assignments for Sunday's national title race resulted in the Badgers taking second in 7:32.351. Stanford racing on the far side of the course from Wisconsin, cruised to the heat win in 7:21.351, while Georgetown was third in 7:36.124.
 
"For the four, it was a draw for lanes and we were all the way across the course from heat-winner Stanford," Mattison said. "When you're separated by that much, the tone of the race is just a little bit different. It will be fun tomorrow when they are right next to Stanford and able to feel that competitiveness. We definitely can't count out any of the other fours, either.

"I think for them, there was maybe some disappointment in the results, but I think they have a much better race to put out there. We know they are ready to do that tomorrow."

Sunday's championship race is currently scheduled for 8:15 a.m. CT.
 
Lightweight Double
The UW crew started the day with a second-place finish in heat 2, but only the winner of the heats advanced to Sunday's grand finals, while the remaining crews had to row again in the repechage. Tulsa, which doesn't have entries in the lightweight eight or four, won the double heat in 7:42.786, nearly seven seconds ahead of the Badgers (7:49.026).
 
Wisconsin found its way to Sunday's grand final anyway, by winning the repechage comfortably with a 7:52.081 over 2000 meters. Stanford was second in 7:59.327.
 
The top four crews in the repechage made Sunday's grand final.
 
"You don't always like to be going to the repechage," Mattison said. "That wasn't really part of the plan, but I thought that Marilyn and Shannon handled it really well and learned a lot taking it down the course a second time. I think they are going to be set up very well heading into tomorrow."

UW will take on Princeton, Tulsa, Stanford, Georgetown and MIT in the title race at 8:36 a.m.
 
Straight from the Lake
Lightweight coach Dusty Mattison
"Today was really about getting back on the racecourse – just getting the team out there, lining up and racing against everyone that they've had in their minds for a while. Putting in that first race down the course to see where they stacked up and getting the jitters out was kind of nice.

"There were some really good vibes in our tent at the end and we are really excited for tomorrow. It is going to be great."

2018 IRA National Championships
June 2
West Windsor, New Jersey
Mercer Lake
2000 meters

Lightweight Eight (Race for Sunday's grand final lane assignments)
1. Stanford, 6:40.823; 2. Boston University, 6:42.799; 3. Princeton, 6:43.278; 4. Georgetown, 6:44.349; 5. Wisconsin, 6:44.796; 6. MIT, 6:50.011; 7. Harvard-Radcliffe, 6:50.519

UW Lineup – Coxswain Anika Chatterjee, Agathe Denis, Brianna Ohm, Grace D'Souza, Jennifer Whitehill, Grace Joyce, Brianna Wynne, Kathryne Ruffalo, Rachel Illgen
 
Lightweight Four (Race for Sunday's grand final lane assignments)
1. Stanford, 7:21.351; 2. Wisconsin, 7:32.351; 3. Georgetown, 7:36.124; 4. Boston University, 7:46.024; 5. Princeton, 7:49.362; 6. MIT, 7:52.534; 7. Harvard-Radcliffe, 8:00.021

UW Lineup – Coxswain Rachel Yan, Mirha Girt, Claire Kelley, Payton James, Janet Titzler
 
Lightweight Double
Repechage (Top four to Sunday grand final, rest to petite final)
1. Wisconsin, 7:52.081; 2. Stanford, 7:59.327; 3. Georgetown, 8:12.928; 4. MIT, 8:14.447; 5. Harvard-Radcliffe, 8:18.514; 6. Boston University, 8:19.374

Heat 2 (Winner to Sunday Grand Final, rest to Saturday afternoon repechage)
1. Tulsa, 7:42.786; 2. Wisconsin, 7:49.026; 3. Stanford, 7:52.437; 4. Harvard-Radcliffe, 8:22.267

UW Lineup – Shannon Lipe, Marilyn Garberg