NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale women's crew opened the season last weekend in very impressive fashion, posting a perfect 8-0 record at the Cardinal Invitational in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Bulldogs weren't really challenged in any of the races. The collegiate crew community took notice, and Yale vaulted to No. 4 from No. 11 in the weekly CRCA national poll.
 
This Saturday, the Bulldogs are in Cherry Hill, N.J., for the Ivy League-Big Ten Double Dual. Yale faces Iowa in the morning beginning at 8 a.m. and Michigan State at noon. Radcliffe is the other Ivy entrant. The Crimson face Michigan State in the morning and Iowa in the afternoon.
 
"We look forward to this opportunity," said Will Porter, The Friends of YWC Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "We need to concentrate on our ourselves and focus on doing our best."
 
All eight victories last weekend came against opponents that are ranked in the top 20 or receiving votes, including No. 17 Alabama, No. 18 Indiana and No. 20 Tennessee.
 
Iowa will be racing for the first time this spring on Saturday. The Hawkeyes last competed at the Jayhawk Jamboree at Kansas in October where their varsity eight and varsity four crews both finished first.
 
Michigan State, also racing for the first time this spring, has two events this weekend with the Doc Hosea Invitational on Sunday in Cherry Hill.
 
Yale Race Schedule
8 a.m. – Varsity eight vs. Iowa
8:20 a.m. - Second varsity eight vs. Iowa
8:40 a.m. – Varsity four vs. Iowa
9 a.m. – Second varsity four vs. Iowa
9:15 a.m. – Third varsity eight vs. Iowa
 
Noon – Varsity eight vs. Michigan State
12:20 p.m. – Second varsity eight & third varsity eight vs. Michigan State
12:40 p.m. – Varsity four & second varsity four vs. Michigan State
 
PROBABLE YALE BOATINGS
 
Varsity EIght
Bow: Mette Kochs-Nielsen
2. Sophia Hahn
3. Margaret Hedeman
4. Lauren Carey
5. Maddie Moore
6. Emmeline Laurence
7. Lucy Edmunds
Stroke: Claire Dirks
Cox: Aparajita Chauhan
 
Second Varsity Eight
Bow: Anna Scott       
2. Katie King-Smith
3. Phoebe Campbell 
4. Mia Levy
5. Hanna Winter
6. Veronica Wall
7. Maya Meschkuleit 
Stroke: Christina Bourmpou
Cox: Grace Menke
 
Varsity Four
Bow: Nicole Martinez
2. Hannah Johns
3. Charlotte Fennell
Stroke: Marie Ramm
Cox: Alin Pasa
 
Second Varsity Four
Bow: Clementine Perry      ,
2. Christiana Congdon
3. Clare Naughton
Stroke: Violet Barletta
Cox: Esha Bhattacharya
 
Third Varsity Four
Bow: Anna Matthes
2. Sophie Houston 
3. Eva Hofmans
Stroke: Lillie Ketterson
Cox: Sofia Garcia
 
Third Varsity Eight vs. Michigan State
Bow: Emma Kohlmayer
2. Georgina Dooley
3. Olivia Clark
4. Olivia Schnur
5. Aliza Fisher
6. Avril Walters
7. Lily Eales
Stroke: Kate Edwards
Cox: Rose Kohler
 
Third Varsity Eight vs. Iowa
Bow: Aliza Fisher
2. Sophia Craver
3. Erin Bettigole
4. Anna Bettigole
5. Olivia Clark
6. Avril Walters
7. Lily Eales
Stroke: Kate Edwards
Cox: Hannah Yi