🛶 Kansas Commences Season Against Oklahoma

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas rowing team will commence the 2021 season on the Oklahoma River in a dual against Oklahoma.

"It truly feels surreal. It’s been a while since we’ve had the opportunity to prepare for racing…This opportunity is real and it is exciting for these women who have trained for a really long time to get to this part, the fun part of the season."

Carrie Cook-Callen, head coach

The regatta will begin at 8 a.m. for the Jayhawks, beginning first with the 2V4+. Next up will be the 1V4+ at 8:20 a.m., 2V8+ at 8:40 a.m., and 1V8+ at 9 a.m.

Kansas’ last competitive 2,000-kilometer race was back on May 19, 2019 in the Big 12 Championship in Oak Ridge, Tenn. before the cancelation of the season due to the pandemic.

"I am really pleased with the way our schedule came together especially in regards to the uncertainty, precautions and necessary steps to be able to race. We’ve got a lot of opponents who will challenge us and give us the chance to showcase speed at a very high level."

It has been a total of 677 days since the Jayhawks have competitively raced and the team will boast a few new faces this year. With a 60-man roster, Kansas has a total of 23 upperclassmen to go along with their 37 freshmen and sophomores.

"I strongly believed pre-pandemic that we had a group of highly dedicated and hard-working young women. The pandemic has just strengthened that belief. We have had our ups and downs, but they come back every day to train. They keep coming back to get better and train. And, it is exciting to me to get ready to see them be rewarded for all of that time and training."

The Jayhawks’ 2021 schedule will send them to Sarasota, Fla. on April 2-3 for the Sunshine State Invite hosted by UCF, at Iowa on April 24, versus Drake in Kansas City, Mo. on May 1, and hosting the Sunflower Showdown back in Kansas City versus Kansas State on May 1 before the Big 12 Championship on May 16 in Austin, Texas.