SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Although the primary racing season for the Santa Clara University women's rowing program takes place during the spring, SCU has announced the team will enter into a pair of events this fall.   
 
The Broncos 2011-12 season will begin when the varsity team rows at the Head of the America event Saturday, October 29 at Lake Natoma near Sacramento. The entire team will then participate at the Head of the Lagoon regatta in Foster City on Sunday, November 13.

"Particularly for the novices, the Head of the Lagoon is important because it will be their first race ever, first look at other crews, first time rowing on a new body of water, first time loading the trailer, first everything," said second-year SCU head coach John Wojtkiewicz. "It will give them a chance to test their competitive wings and find out what the sport really is all about."
 
Wojtkiewicz expects to return 12 athletes from last year, while adding three experienced freshmen and one transfer. Additionally, the program should benefit from the addition of former NCAA National Champion, Elisabeth Johnson, who was recently hired as assistant coach.
 
"Starting with 16 experienced rowers, ready to go and already training, will be a far cry from the Ctrl+Alt+Del restart that was last year's fall season," said Wojtkiewicz, referring to the fact the team grew from five rowers in the fall of 2010 to 19 by season's end in the spring of 2011.

The program will be holding meetings in early September for students interested in competing for the Broncos this season. Please contact coach Wojtkiewicz at jwojtkiewicz@scu.edu or 408-554-4636 for more information.