Nov. 1, 2007

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy women's crew program will attempt to conclude its 2007 fall season the same way it closed its 2006 fall campaign by winning the Head of the Occoquan Regatta Saturday afternoon. Racing at the event will be held over a 5,000-meter course located on the Occoquan Reservoir in Sandy Run State State Park in Fairfax, Va.

The Mids placed first, third and sixth in last year's collegiate eight race, first and second in the collegiate novice race and seventh in the collegiate four race.

"This is a long race, so we will need a strong, clean row in order to place ourselves in a position to win," said Navy head coach Mike Hughes. "An added challenge for us is that we will be the first boat off the line, so we will not have another boat to pace ourselves against."

This will be Navy's first competition since its varsity boat placed 17th overall and 14th among U.S. colleges at the Head of the Charles Regatta held Oct. 21 in Boston. The program was slated to take part in last week's Head of the Schuylkill Regatta, but poor weather forced the cancellation of the event.