April 24, 2008

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State rowing heads into the Big Ten Championship as the sixth-ranked team in the nation by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA). The highest ranking among conference opponents, Michigan is the next closest program, ranked ninth, while Ohio State and Minnesota sit at 13th and 16th, respectively. The Spartans jumped one spot from last week's ranking.

For the fourth-straight week, Cal remains the nation's top crew.

With a 7-2 overall mark, the Spartans completed their regular season with three wins over ranked crews, No. 3 Brown, No. 14 Notre Dame and No. 15 Louisville, while MSU's only losses were to top five programs, No. 5 Princeton and No. 3 Virginia. Against the Tigers, Michigan State's varsity eight crew finished just 0.3 seconds behind Princeton.

Additionally this spring, MSU bested Indiana, Oregon State, Central Florida and Minnesota.

The Spartans head to Ann Arbor for the league championship on May 3.