April 24, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A pair of historic trophies are at stake for each of the Navy men's rowing teams on Saturday, while the women's program will compete Sunday at the Patriot League Championship.

The Navy lightweight team will play host to Harvard and Georgetown Saturday morning on the Severn River, with the first race starting at 6:30 a.m. The winner of the varsity race between the Mids and the Crimson will receive the Haines Trophy, which was first presented in 1958. Though the Crimson hold a 40-7 advantage in the overall series, Navy has won the hardware in four of the last six years and has won three-straight meetings held in Annapolis.

Navy's varsity boat enters Saturday's race ranked third in this week's U.S. Rowing poll, Harvard is ranked sixth and Georgetown is ranked 11th.

Last year's race, held on the Charles River in Boston, saw the Crimson edge the Mids for the trophy by six-tenths of a second. Harvard completed the 2,000-meter course in a time of 6:04.5, while Navy followed with a clocking of 6:05.1.

"Over the past few years, both Harvard and Navy have stepped it up for this rivalry and that has resulted in some tight finishes," said Navy lightweight head coach Rob Friedrich. "This weekend should be no different. Having Georgetown as a guest in this duel race only magnifies its importance."

Navy's heavyweight team will race against Penn and Harvard Saturday on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. The winner of the varsity race between the three programs will earn possession of the Adams Cup, which was first awarded in 1933. Harvard has won the last seven races to increase its victory total in the series to 44, Penn last won the trophy in 1999 and has tallied 14 cup victories, while Navy, the second-place boat in each of the last five years, won its 13th and most recent trophy in 1996.

Harvard is ranked fourth in this week's U.S. Rowing poll, Navy is ranked 12th and Penn is unranked.

The Crimson posted a winning time in the varsity race of 6:07.0 last year on the Charles River, with the Mids finishing in second place eight seconds later and the Quakers following an additional eight seconds later.

"The Adams Cup is one of the oldest cup races in rowing, so we are always very excited when it comes around," said Navy heavyweight head coach Rick Clothier. "It is always a hard-fought race and I expect the same from all of the crews on Saturday."

Navy's women's team also will be racing for a trophy of its own Sunday when the Mids vie for the Patriot League Championship on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J. The overall team title is determined by the number of points accrued by the teams in the first varsity eight, the second varsity eight and the varsity four races.

After sweeping the three individual boat titles and winning the team title at the inaugural league championship in 2005, the Mids have placed second in the varsity race and in the overall team points tally in each of the last two years.

Bucknell picked up its second-straight league team crown last year when the Bison won each of the three individual boat titles -- all by a minimum of five seconds -- at the championship.

"I feel we have been improving weekly since the start of the season," said Navy women's head coach Mike Hughes. "Each week has been a little bit better, so we are looking for that trend to continue this weekend. We will need to be at our best in order to be successful."