K-State Rowing Looks to Continue Momentum into Big 12 Championship

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State rowing team will look to continue their momentum this weekend, as the team travels to Oak Ridge, Tennessee for the Big 12 Championship Regatta on Melton Hill Lake on May 12-13.

"Physically we are in really good shape, that is something that the athletes have worked hard at and started last summer, mentally they have really accepted the challenge," Head Coach Patrick Sweeney said of the team. "They are doing a really good job, I am looking forward to the Big 12 Championship."

The trip to the Big 12 Championship will mark the second appearance on Melton Hill Lake this season, after placing all five boats in the finals at the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championship Regatta (SIRAs) on April 21-22, which resulted in four boats earning medals.

A week later, the Wildcat crew continued the momentum at the Sunflower Showdown, where K-State rallied to clinch the Sunflower Showdown Cup for the first time since 2014. The Wildcats strung together four event victories, including three wins by at least seven seconds over the Kansas boats to defeat the Jayhawks, 13-9.

"The season started off pretty well. What we have seen is that as time goes on, we have been getting better and better," Sweeney said. "[At the Sunflower Showdown] The girls worked really hard, they showed that we have been progressing as time goes on."

The momentum comes at the perfect time for the Wildcats, as the team prepares for the Big 12 Championship this weekend, where they will compete against the eight rowing Big 12 Conference affiliated programs, including Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, West Virginia, Old Dominion, Alabama and Tennessee.

At last year's Big 12 Championship, the Wildcats placed third overall as a team, tallying 92 points to finish behind only Texas (137 pts.) and Oklahoma (113 pts.), while marking the team's highest point total at the Championship since 2014. The K-State third varsity eight boat highlighted the team's accomplishments by bringing home Big 12 bronze for the first time since 2015.

The Wildcats will look to continue the momentum this weekend, as the boats race in the preliminary heats on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. CT. Competition will close with finals on Sunday beginning at 8:00 a.m. For a full schedule of events, click here. For more information on the Big 12 Championship, including a ticket information, course information and more, click here.

For the latest on K-State Rowing, follow @kstatesports and @KStateROW on Twitter using the hashtag #KStateROW or on the team's Facebook page.

Kansas State University Athletics

K-State Rowing Looks to Continue Momentum into Big 12 Championship

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