SE: K-State Rowing Has Something to Prove at Sunshine State Invite
Apr 02, 2021 | Rowing, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
Just before K-State Rowing competed for the first time in more than a year, assistant coach Noelle Dykmann grabbed her phone and took a photo of the water.
"She commented on how flat it was…when we get flat water, it's really special and a chance to showcase what we can do," sophomore rower Kate Odgers said. "But six or seven minutes later, the wind picked up and it was a cross wind. That affected us a little bit."
Here's the thing about K-State Rowing - a clean sweep of Creighton might seem perfect for the last team in Manhattan to return to competition during COVID-19.
But "perfect" has never been where the Wildcats do their best work.
"That's a huge feature of K-State Rowing, just because we get so little water time. I think our race with Creighton was our 10th time on the water since October," sophomore rower Ellie Hahn said. "Despite that, in any conditions, we need to be like, 'We're doing it.' Because Tuttle [Creek Lake] can be just like the ocean."
The Wildcats did it in Omaha, sweeping all four races against Creighton in the 2v4, 2v8, 1v4 and 1v8, even after the wind picked up and K-State had to battle the chop along with the Bluejays.
On paper, none of the races were particularly close.
The closest a Creighton boat got to K-State in any of the races in Omaha? 23 seconds.
"The goal is always to win, but coming off our race with Creighton, we were kind of upset with the time that we got, even though we were just getting out the first-race jitters," Odgers said. "It's just about improving the little things within a race that went wrong or didn't go how we wanted."
The Wildcats will have an opportunity to keep building on those times, and then some, when K-arrives in Sarasota, Florida this week to test themselves against some of the top programs from around in the country at the Sunshine State Invitational.
The conditions couldn't be more different, with the regatta held at Nathan Benderson Park, one of the top rowing facilities in the country and the site of everything from Olympic Qualifying events to the World Rowing Championships.
It will also be the Wildcats' first opportunity to experience multi-lane racing in 2021, instead of matching up with another school in the duels that are more common throughout the season.
Odgers pointed out that every race with Creighton was competitive at the start, but less so when the Wildcats pulled away and finished each race without another boat alongside them.
K-State will be one of the only teams in the field to draw all of their rowers from other high school sports.
"I think it's that underdog mentality," Odgers said. "We expect to be great, but then we come out and we can compete with these schools and with these people who have done it for a long time. Especially at Creighton, they recruit girls who have rowed before and we kicked their butts."
Both Hahn and Odgers talked about how excited they were to race at Benderson Park, where some of the greatest athletes in the sport compete every year.
Even the team's hotel is decked out in rowing memorabilia, which is especially nice because the Wildcats can't actually leave before this weekend's regatta due to COVID-19 protocol.
Getting to enjoy the Florida sunshine and relax at the hotel pool has been a nice bonus. But when meet day finally arrives this weekend, the 'Cats are going to be all-business.
"We know that nobody expects us to be good. What they see is these girls who don't know what the heck they're doing. Then after the race, looking over at the other boats when they cross the finish line and we crossed like 10 seconds before them and they have these shocked looks on their faces," Hahn said. "It's like, 'Yeah, don't underestimate us.' That feeling is addicting for me."
Just before K-State Rowing competed for the first time in more than a year, assistant coach Noelle Dykmann grabbed her phone and took a photo of the water.
"She commented on how flat it was…when we get flat water, it's really special and a chance to showcase what we can do," sophomore rower Kate Odgers said. "But six or seven minutes later, the wind picked up and it was a cross wind. That affected us a little bit."
Here's the thing about K-State Rowing - a clean sweep of Creighton might seem perfect for the last team in Manhattan to return to competition during COVID-19.
But "perfect" has never been where the Wildcats do their best work.
"That's a huge feature of K-State Rowing, just because we get so little water time. I think our race with Creighton was our 10th time on the water since October," sophomore rower Ellie Hahn said. "Despite that, in any conditions, we need to be like, 'We're doing it.' Because Tuttle [Creek Lake] can be just like the ocean."
The Wildcats did it in Omaha, sweeping all four races against Creighton in the 2v4, 2v8, 1v4 and 1v8, even after the wind picked up and K-State had to battle the chop along with the Bluejays.
On paper, none of the races were particularly close.
The closest a Creighton boat got to K-State in any of the races in Omaha? 23 seconds.
"The goal is always to win, but coming off our race with Creighton, we were kind of upset with the time that we got, even though we were just getting out the first-race jitters," Odgers said. "It's just about improving the little things within a race that went wrong or didn't go how we wanted."
The Wildcats will have an opportunity to keep building on those times, and then some, when K-arrives in Sarasota, Florida this week to test themselves against some of the top programs from around in the country at the Sunshine State Invitational.
"All of our athletes handled the whole experience well. The team is still developing but they showed up today."#KStateROW swept Creighton in its first regatta of the 2021 season!https://t.co/Qe5gsJEGz0
— K-State Rowing (@KStateROW) March 28, 2021
The conditions couldn't be more different, with the regatta held at Nathan Benderson Park, one of the top rowing facilities in the country and the site of everything from Olympic Qualifying events to the World Rowing Championships.
It will also be the Wildcats' first opportunity to experience multi-lane racing in 2021, instead of matching up with another school in the duels that are more common throughout the season.
Odgers pointed out that every race with Creighton was competitive at the start, but less so when the Wildcats pulled away and finished each race without another boat alongside them.
"When you're out on the water and there's another team next to you, not wearing purple K-State colors, it takes you back to all the long days on the ergs, the stair workouts and just the miles that we've put in," Hahn said. "It makes you want to go back and put in even more effort so you can get even further ahead."
"The races really remind you why you put in all that work," Odgers added.
K-State will be one of the only teams in the field to draw all of their rowers from other high school sports.
"I think it's that underdog mentality," Odgers said. "We expect to be great, but then we come out and we can compete with these schools and with these people who have done it for a long time. Especially at Creighton, they recruit girls who have rowed before and we kicked their butts."
Both Hahn and Odgers talked about how excited they were to race at Benderson Park, where some of the greatest athletes in the sport compete every year.
"Our aim is to stay locked into that same technique, continue finding ways to be more effective, and keep moving forward from last week."#KStateROW gears up for a competitive slate of races at the Sunshine State Invitational this weekend!https://t.co/erQsH7LhqQ
— K-State Rowing (@KStateROW) April 1, 2021
Even the team's hotel is decked out in rowing memorabilia, which is especially nice because the Wildcats can't actually leave before this weekend's regatta due to COVID-19 protocol.
Getting to enjoy the Florida sunshine and relax at the hotel pool has been a nice bonus. But when meet day finally arrives this weekend, the 'Cats are going to be all-business.
"We know that nobody expects us to be good. What they see is these girls who don't know what the heck they're doing. Then after the race, looking over at the other boats when they cross the finish line and we crossed like 10 seconds before them and they have these shocked looks on their faces," Hahn said. "It's like, 'Yeah, don't underestimate us.' That feeling is addicting for me."
Players Mentioned
/ Rowing
/ Rowing
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Thursday, February 26
K-State Rowing | Media Day
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Rowing | Weights Practice
Tuesday, February 24
K-State Tennis | Weekend Recap vs Old Dominion & Minnesota
Tuesday, February 24
