MANHATTAN, Kan. Kansas State will join 120 additional rowing programs and clubs across the country to take part in the 35^th anniversary running of the San Diego Crew Classic this Sat.-Sun., April 5-6. The Wildcats’ First and Second Varsity 8+ will battle at the Crown Point Shores Park at Mission Bay for a pair of coveted trophies.

The First Varsity 8+ will compete at 8:10 a.m. on Saturday in the second of three heats of the Women’s Cal Cup event to earn a spot into the finals for the Sam Adams/Mesa Distributing Cup. K-State will take on St. Joseph’s, San Diego State, Temple, Villanova, Lehigh and Arizona State in the preliminary race.

The Wildcats’ Second Varsity 8+ will row in the first heat of the two qualifying rounds of the Women’s JV event for the Jackie Ann Stitt Hungness Trophy. The team will take to the waters against USC, Washington State, Clemson, Louisville, Sacramento State and San Diego at 10:10 a.m.

“This is always a race full of great competition,” head coach Pat Sweeney said. “The field is such that if we show up and perform at the level we are capable of there is no reason our 1V8+ cannot finish in the top three. But, if we don’t have great focus and fight, we can easily be at the very back of the pack. That is why a race like this is a great test, especially when you have a young crew like we do. The level of competition leaves you very little room for error.”

K-State will return to the regatta for the eighth-consecutive season and look to continue a streak of placing in the top six with the First Varsity 8+ boat. K-State has made the Grand Final in the Women’s Cal Cup five out of the last seven years. The Wildcats had their highest placing in 2006 with a silver-medal performance. Last year the Wildcats pulled out a fifth-place effort.

For more information on the San Diego Crew Classic, you may visit its official website at www.crewclassic.org. Live results and streaming video will be available through that same link. A recap of Kansas State results will be made available at www.kstatesports.com.

San Diego Crew Classic Schedule

Saturday, April 5

8:10 a.m.: 1V8+ Women’s Cal Cup Heat B: St. Joseph’s, Kansas State, San Diego State, Temple, Villanova, Lehigh, Arizona State

10:10 a.m.: 2V8+ Women’s JV Heat A: USC, Washington State, Clemson, Louisville, Sacramento State, Kansas State, San Diego

Sunday, April 6

8 a.m.: 2V8+ Women’s JV Petite Final

8:20 a.m.: 1V8+ Women’s Cal Cup Petite Final

10:15 a.m.: 2V8+ Women’s JV Grand Final, Jackie Ann Stitt Hungness Trophy

10:40 a.m.:  1V8+ Women’s Cal Cup Grand Final, Sam Adams/Mesa Distributing Cup