CAMDEN, N.J. - The Drake rowing team is set to travel to Camden, N.J. this Sunday, May 13 for the 2018 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship. The MAAC championship is set to be contested on a 2,000-meter course on the Cooper River in the Cooper River Park where the winner of the championship will earn the conference's automatic berth to the 2018 NCAA Championship in Sarasota, Florida. The MAAC championship will be streamed on MAAC.TV in partnership with the Ivy League and Harvard University. This will mark the first time in conference history that the championship will be streamed live.
 
The Bulldogs enter the weekend in search of the program's second MAAC title after winning their first in 2012. Drake finished in fifth place at the 2017 championship with the team's second varsity 8+ boat claiming first place in the petite grand final.
 
The Bulldogs will compete against nine conference opponents including Jacksonville, who has won the last four consecutive MAAC titles, in a format that includes three races (Varsity 8+, 2^nd Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+) with heats and finals for each with the top three boats in each initial heat advancing to the grand final while the other boats move to petite grand finals. The school with the highest point total from the results of all the races will be crowned conference champion.
 
Earlier this season, the Bulldogs won four races at the ICRI Regatta against several Illinois rowing clubs including Illinois, DePaul and University of Chicago. Drake also had a strong outing at the end of April in Buffalo, N.Y. against conference foe Canisius at the Black Rock Cup.
 
"We have dealt with some adversity the last few weeks since Buffalo not being able to row outside on the water due to high water levels on the Des Moines River," said head coach Charlie DiSilvestro. "Plus, we have had a few lineup changes, but we are back in the swing of things and they're ready to overcome this hurdle. We are so proud of how they have stayed focused, worked on their power and form while stuck inside. It's not fun to be inside especially this late in the season. But we have used it as a motivator and it has helped their mental toughness. Now we take it as motivation and bring it when we finally get on the water this weekend."
 
The team will have an opportunity to practice on the water Friday when they arrive in New Jersey. Then on Saturday, Drake will have the opportunity to row on the official race course before Sunday's championship.
 
Sunday Race Schedule
Morning Event          Time (ET)
I Fours–Heat 1            9:20 a.m.
I Fours–Heat 2            9:30 a.m.
II Eights–Heat 1          9:40 a.m.
II Eights–Heat 2          9:50 a.m.
I Eights–Heat 1           10:00 a.m.
I Eights–Heat 2           10:10 a.m.
 
Afternoon Event       Time (ET)
I Fours–Petite Final     12:30 p.m.
I Fours–Grand Final   12:40 p.m.
II Eights–Petite Final   12:50 p.m.
II Eights–Grand Final  1:00 p.m.
I Eights–Petite Final    1:10 p.m.
I Eights–Grand Final   1:20 p.m.