SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Santa Clara University women's rowing program returned from winter break and is on the water practicing each weekday morning at 6 a.m. at Lexington Reservoir in Los Gatos.

The Broncos have recently released their 2011 racing schedule and roster. SCU officially opens the year Saturday, March 26 at the Pac-10 Challenge in Redwood City.

A lot of high volume, high intensity work lies ahead as the team completes a training cycle this week.

When asked to recap last week's training, first-year Santa Clara head coach John Wojtkiewicz said: "The first week back from Christmas break was very productive. The varsity was in pairs all week.  Steering issues notwithstanding, the work in the small boats is having the desired effect of improving boat feel and pulling together.  Those boats have also been establishing base performance times over 500, 1000 and 1500 meter pieces."

"Our hope is to show improvement over those distances as we progress through the next few months of training.  We have also been cycling novices into the pair lineups. The goal is to try and get them out on the water and familiar with the smaller boat.  This has also been effective because not only are the novice rowers learning how to set the boat better, they are also learning how to "pull" with the more experienced varsity rowers.  Mostly because in a pair you have no other choice; either pull together or the boat doesn't go straight."