The 2010 Sacramento State women’s rowing team is looking for its fourth Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association team championship in five years.

Sac State has won three out of the last four championships including its most recent championship last spring.

While at the WIRA championships, the eight-person varsity boat placed second in the finals in its category.

The rowing team has six returning seats from last year’s boat that it needs to fill for this upcoming season. The team will be looking to last year’s novice team to fill the remaining seats and keep the momentum in Sac State’s favor.

Head coach Mike Connors is heading into his eighth season at the helm of the women’s rowing team. In those eight seasons, Connors has led the varsity eight-boat to a 51-11 record. In that same time, he has led the novice eight-boat to a record of 31-11.In spring 2009 action, Connors coached the varsity eight-boat to a 10-4 record in dual-meet formatting.

Connors said he believes the success of the team will be based on the core group of rowers who are returning from last year’s team.

“I am hoping that this will translate into an even faster boat,” he said. “Most of the rowers have improved from last year and we are trying to fit in pieces to create a successful boat.”

Sac State will be led by senior captain Holly Hopkins, who was named to the second team All-West Region by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association in 2009. Since 1995, 11 Hornets have been named to the All-West Region.

She is also a two-time recipient of National Scholar-Athlete Award. This award is given to rowers with a 3.5 or higher cumulative grade point average.

Holly Hopkins said she feels in order for the team to win another team championship, it will have to produce more first-place finishes in each of the eight-boat divisions.

“We are hoping to build on that production and have more boats win,” Holly Hopkins said.Holly Hopkins also said she feels the women’s novice eight boat is as important to the success of this year’s team as it was last year’s team.

“It’s really important for those girls that are moving up and that are going to be here for the next two years to be role models for the new girls,” Holly Hopkins said. “To show the current novices what can be done as first-year rowers.”

Her teammate and sister, Heather Hopkins, said she believes a key to Sac State’s success will be its depth on the roster to get beyond any injuries that may come over the season.

“With a team like Sac State, we are always a little bit on the line and every person on the team is important,” Heather Hopkins said. “We are at a really good point right now, where the girls that do have injuries are coming back, getting in the boats and getting stronger.”

Sac State’s rowing season begins Saturday at Santa Clara.

Matt Harrington can be reached at [email protected]