For Immediate Release
Contact: Ed Levin
Publicity Director
Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta
levins51@verizon.net
610-246-5902
For some crews, the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta is the culmination of their spring season. University of Tampa is one of those teams who come to the Philadelphia area looking to end their season on a high note.
With that in mind, it’s not surprising when you walk into the boat cage and see the chalkboard with a simple message; “Countdown to Dad Vail”.
“The Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta is our championship,” said coach Bill Dunlap, who has been at the helm since 1981 and fields a roster comprised with mainly walk-ons. “Although we are considered an NCAA team, we do not offer scholarships so without recruiting we can’t really compete with the heavily funded NCAA teams. We are fortunate that our Athletic Department recognizes this and allows us to focus on a non-NCAA racing format as much as possible such as small boats and races like SIRA and Dad Vail.”
With the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta less than a week away, the Spartans are in final preparation for defense of their Women’s DII/DIII Varsity 4 title which they have won the past two years.
“To win another title with these girls in this boat would be a meaningful way to close out my senior year,” senior Jenna Manning, who was the stroke last year. “For me, it’s not all about finishing first. I would consider it a success if after my last race we feel like we gave everything we had, no matter the result, and had a strong row down the course. Rowing for the University of Tampa has been such an amazing experience that I will always reflect on throughout my lifetime.”
Dunlap echoed the sentiments of Manning, “I don’t consider my job to be winning boat races. My job is to help our rowers have the best experience they can. One that they will carry with them all their lives. Striving to be as fast as possible is a means towards that end but not the end itself. Seeing our team grow from a handful to the 25 to 30 we have now without paying people to be on the team is very satisfying. If our boats come off the water feeling they rowed a good race, then that’s success. We can’t do anything about how fast someone else goes.”
One of the schools in the path of the Spartans will be their neighbor Rollins College. The two teams have raced twice this spring with each school winning once.
To accompany the DII/DIII Varsity 4+, the Spartans will bring a Frosh/Novice Women’s 4, a Women’s Lightweight 4, a Women’s Pair and a Women’s quad (4x). This will allow UTAMPA to qualify for the Women’s Small Boats Overall National Championship Trophy. This point trophy will be awarded to the team that does not bring a Varsity Eight and accumulates the most points within the smaller boats (Quad, Pair or single).
The Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta will be staged this year on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey on Friday, May 8 and Saturday May 9. All the exciting action will be available on our live stream link. To view, please go to www.dadvail.org
