Aug. 18, 1999

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - While most of Carolina's teams long ago wrapped up their recruiting for the upcoming season, the UNC women's rowing team will make its biggest push for new members this Sunday evening. The Tar Heels will host an information meeting, open to any female undergraduate interested in joining the program, on Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. in Venable Hall, room 268.

"Rowing is unique among Division I sports in that ninety percent of varsity participants don't pick up rowing until college," says UNC coach Joel Furtek. "We're only in our third season as a varsity program, but we already have a proven record of molding complete novices into competitive collegiate rowers over the course of the school year."

In its two years of varsity competition, Carolina has earned an NCAA bronze medal and placed its varsity eight boat in the top 20 national rankings. With only a few exceptions, none of the standouts in those boats had rowed before arriving in Chapel Hill. Most, however, had competed successfully in other sports. "The most important qualities we're looking for from new recruits are athleticism and a good work ethic," Furtek says. "We want people who were born to row, but just don't know it yet."

At the same time as the women's meeting, the UNC men's club program, led by new coach Erich Shuler, will hold an interest meeting in Venable Hall, room 207.

• UNC team members were represented in national rowing during the summer break. Senior Danae Ringelmann participated in a U.S. Rowing development camp in Berkeley, Calif., and Christine Elkins, a former UNC rower and assistant coach, is currently training in residence at the National Team Training Center in San Diego, Calif. Furtek recently spent a week as a volunteer at the Master's National Championships in Gainesville, Ga., where he was in charge of the starting line. That competition was held on the 1996 Olympic course, which Furtek helped build.
• Following Sunday's organizational meeting, Furtek will drive to Connecticut to pick up four new boats, which will bring the UNC fleet up to a total of 12 shells. They range in size from 30-foot, two-person shells to the 56-foot eights, the main boats used in collegiate competition.