KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island gets its first official racing of the spring tonight when it competes against Boston University and Buffalo tonight at Cornell's Nordic Nine event in Ithaca, N.Y.i

Tonight's set of races is the first of back-to-back nights of competition for the Rams. Saturday night, Rhody will go against No. 20 Cornell and Penn. The weekend will provide stiff competition out of the gate for the Rams. In addition to host Cornell being ranked in the latest CRCA/US Rowing Coaches Poll, Penn and Boston University each received votes as well.

Rhody faced Boston University and Buffalo last season on the Charles River in Boston. The Varsity 8 finished 1.7 second behind BU while beating Buffalo by nearly 15 seconds. The Rams were victorious by a large margin in the Second Varsity 8 race, beating both boats by more than 14 seconds. BU won the Varsity 4A by 1.7 seconds, but the Rams finished well in front of Buffalo.

The event originally was scheduled as a one-day event with racing to be held in the morning and evening Saturday. However, water conditions and a busy racing schedules made the change necessary.

The Rams will begin racing tonight at 5:10 p.m. when the Third Varsity 8 takes the water.

RACE DAY SCHEDULE
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Session 1 – Friday, April 3, 2015
5:00 p.m. – Third Varsity Eight – Cornell, Yale, Iowa N8
5:05 p.m. – Third Varsity Eight – Syracuse, Penn, Northeastern
5:10 p.m. – Third Varsity Eight – Boston University, Buffalo, Rhode Island
5:30 p.m. – Varsity Four B – Cornell, Yale, Iowa
5:35 p.m. – Varsity Four B – Syracuse, Penn, Northeastern
5:40 p.m. – Varsity Four B – Boston, Buffalo
6:00 p.m. – Varsity Four A – Cornell, Yale, Iowa
6:05 p.m. – Varsity Four A – Syracuse, Penn, Northeastern
6:10 p.m. – Varsity Four A – Boston University, Buffalo, Rhode Island
6:30 p.m. – Second Varsity Eight – Cornell, Yale, Iowa
6:35 p.m. – Second Varsity Eight – Syracuse, Penn, Northeastern
6:40 p.m. – Second Varsity Eight – Boston University, Buffalo, Rhode Island
7:00 p.m. – Varsity Eight – Cornell, Yale, Iowa
7:05 p.m. – Varsity Eight – Syracuse, Penn, Northeastern
7:10 p.m. – Varsity Eight – Boston University, Buffalo, Rhode Island
7:30 p.m. – Fourth Varsity Eight – Syracuse, Cornell
 
Session 2 – Saturday, April 4, 2015
7:30 p.m. – Third Varsity Eight – Iowa N8, Syracuse, Boston U
7:35 p.m. – Third Varsity Eight – Northeastern, Buffalo, Yale
7:40 p.m. – Third Varsity Eight – Cornell, Penn, Rhode Island
8:00 p.m. – Varsity Four B – Iowa, Syracuse, Boston U
8:05 p.m. – Varsity Four B – Northeastern, Buffalo, Yale
8:10 p.m. – Varsity Four B – Cornell, Penn            
8:30 p.m. – Varsity Four A – Iowa, Syracuse, Boston U
8:35 p.m. – Varsity Four A – Northeastern, Buffalo, Yale
8:40 p.m. – Varsity Four A – Cornell, Penn, Rhode Island
9:00 p.m. – Second Varsity Eight – Iowa, Syracuse, Boston U
9:05 p.m. – Second Varsity Eight – Northeastern, Buffalo, Yale
9:10 p.m. – Second Varsity Eight – Cornell, Penn, Rhode Island
9:30 p.m. – Varsity Eight – Iowa, Syracuse, Boston U
9:35 p.m. – Varsity Eight – Northeastern, Buffalo, Yale
9:40 p.m. – Varsity Eight – Cornell, Penn, Rhode Island