Drake University to Join MAAC Women's Rowing
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. ? The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announces the addition of Drake University to the MAAC Women’s Rowing league, starting competition in the 2009-2010 season.
"The MAAC welcomes Drake University to the league and applauds them for their commitment to women's rowing and willingness to compete at the MAAC's Rowing Championship held annually at Mercer Lake in New Jersey," noted MAAC Commissioner Richard Ensor. "The MAAC administrators and coaches were welcoming of the membership request in the spirit of growing the sport and recognizing the Drake University student-athletes need a championship experience."
"We are delighted to have a highly regarded institution like Drake join our conference for Women's Rowing.” Fairfield University Director of Athletics Gene Doris stated. “This enhances the level of competition for our core programs and broadens the visibility of the MAAC.”
“We are extremely excited to accept Drake University into the MAAC Rowing League,” Iona College Senior Associate Athletic Director and Chair of the MAAC Rowing Committee Jamie Fogarty said. “Their tradition, fine academic standards and competitiveness will only help continue to establish the MAAC Rowing League. We are looking forward to their participation at the MAAC Rowing Championship”.
Drake, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, started women’s rowing as a club team in 1988. The Bulldogs transitioned to varsity status in 1999.
“It is an honor for Drake University to be accepted for associate membership into the MAAC for the sport of Women's Rowing”, Drake Director of Athletics Sandy Hatfield-Clubb said. “Drake is well aligned with the educational values and the competitive nature of the MAAC schools and our crew athletes are thrilled to have a conference home and to have an opportunity to compete for conference championships.”
“This is very exciting news for our rowing program,” Drake women’s rowing head coach Charlie DiSilvestro said. “We started looking for a conference our rowing program could join about four years ago. With the help of President David Maxwell, our Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield-Clubb, Associate Athletic Director Mike Cigelman and Special Assistant to the Athletic Director Megan Schneider, we came to the conclusion that the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference was a perfect fit for Drake Women's Rowing. With all of them being great private academic schools with similar number of athletes, staff and budgets, we could not have found a better match. As a coach, I have followed the MAAC Championship and the teams that compete in it. We have a great respect for the coaches and athletes we will be racing next spring, and look forward to lining up against them."
The 2010 MAAC Rowing Championships will take place on Sunday, April 25 at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J.