May 7, 2009

PHILADELPHIA - The Saint Joseph's men's rowing team will compete in the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta, which runs Friday and Saturday on the Schuylkill River. Friday's heats begin at 7 a.m.

The Hawks' Lightweight 8 is seeded third and had some close finishes earlier this year against Delaware and Georgia Tech, so are looking forward to a competitive final.

For the premier event, the Varsity 8, the Hawks have changed their lineup after a disappointing finish in the Bergen Cup. SJU will face a challenging draw in the heat, but is confident it can meet the challenge.

The Lightweight 4 is seeded fourth and is expected to be in medal contention. The JV8 has also revised its lineup and could surprise the favorites.

This week's rain could make the river conditions even more challenging. "Certain lanes have far more current or flow than others and as a result, are far faster. There will be a lot of jockeying by crews and coaches trying to get into the advantaged lanes. As a result, there will be some surprises in the results," said Hawk coach Drew Hill.

On Saturday morning, the Hawks will dedicate a shell in the memory of Matt Mullin '05. The former rower perished in a boating accident in Hong Kong a few weeks ago.

For information and results, go to http://www.dadvail.org/