FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University women's rowing has officially announced the 2020 spring schedule, slated to start Jan. 19 as the team welcomes back some familiar faces to compete against in the NSU Alumni Race taking place in Hollywood, Fla.
 
Aside from fall strength & conditioning and on-water practices, the Sharks participated in three events beginning with a scrimmage at UCF, followed by the Head of the Indian Creek and capped off the practice portion of the schedule with the Hatter Invitational. 
 
"We're going to try and unleash the passion and care for what it means to be a Shark," said sixth-year head coach Devin Fay. "Our expectations are high with such a deep upper-class and we expect our team to be highly competitive."
 
The team will be tested early in the first scrimmage of the Spring season as the Sharks travel to Melbourne, Fla. on Feb. 1, to race the national runner-up and SSC Champion, Florida Tech. The squad will then host its annual home race against another SSC foe, Barry, on Feb. 22. Prior to the race, the Sharks will honor all eight graduates of the senior class.
 
From there on out, the Sharks will be on the road or in neutral site matchups beginning March 20 in Orlando, Fla., as they compete in the UCF regatta. The next day, NSU will head to Trinity College in their last non-conference scrimmage prior to the start of the competitive slate. "We like to get an early test of where we are at as a team in the scrimmage portion of the season, prior to the first big test at the SSC Double Dual's," said Fay. The aforementioned SSC Double Dual's will take place in Miami Beach, Fla. on March 28 with Florida Tech, Barry and Embry-Riddle all in attendance.
 
On Apr. 3, NSU will participate in the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association (FIRA) Championship, in Sarasota, Fla. The race will take place at Nathan Benderson Park, which is well known as one of the finest courses in the country. Next, the Sharks will continue to travel as they head to the Southern Intercollegiate Rowing Association (SIRA) Championship Regatta, which will take place in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Apr. 18-19 at Melton Lake Park.
 
Following the out-of-state trip, the Sharks will take will travel to Sarasota, Fla. on Apr. 24 to compete in the SSC Championships, as both the varsity eights and fours will be competing in a random-draw dual. "We get two tests right in a row after FIRA to see where we stack up and what we need to do in order to close or extend gaps to put our self in good position come SSC Championships," added Fay. "Our top 16 athletes is more competitive than it has even been and I can't wait to see our student-athletes comeback to campus in the new-year and see the competition within the team at practice."
 
On Apr. 28, the Sharks will drive up to Orlando, Fla., to participate in the UCF Regatta on Lake Pickett to conclude the 2020 season. The team will use this opportunity to send up some of the lower boats to race in order to gain more experience in live races.

Be sure to follow @NSU_Rowing on Twitter or visit NSUSharks.com for updates and results. To keep in touch with the team be sure to follow nsu_rowing on Instagram and @NSURowing on Facebook.