Q & A with Liz Brennan
5/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
May 9, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Liz Brennan (Brightwaters, New York) brings tenacity and a will to win to the varsity four crew. These characteristics have helped Liz become a two-time Big Ten champion and placed her in the stroke seat, a pivotal position in any boat. In 2004, she was a member of the second varsity four that captured the league title. This season, she is a member of the first varsity four, one of two Spartan boats to win individual titles en route to Michigan State's first team championship.
Q: This is the second time you've won a Big Ten Championship as a member of a varsity four boat. Did winning this year's Big Ten Championship feel any different than last year's?
A: It was a better situation this year because I felt the team was going to do much better this year. With Matt (Weise) being the new coach, there's a new attitude, and we are all really excited. We all knew (the championship) was something we could achieve, and the moment we won our race, I think we knew the team could win the overall title.
Q: How did you choose to attend Michigan State?
A: I was recruited by Coach Weise from my high school team. I came here on my official visit and I just loved it. I looked at other Big Ten schools and nobody compared to MSU. The people here are just so nice and I wanted to be a part of an up-and-coming program.
Q: Are you preparing any differently for the postseason than for a regular regatta?
A: We're taking the hours down. We're doing fewer strokes out on the water, but I think we're all mentally working just as hard as we were before. We have a goal this year.
Q: Favorite Movie?
A: The Sandlot.
Q: Favorite song that gets you prepared for competition?
A: In high school, our boat song was from Mulan, called `I'll Make A Man Out Of You'. It's always stayed with me.
Q: Favorite food while at a regatta?
A: Pasta salad - cold pasta with Italian dressing on it.
Q: If you were stuck on a deserted island with one of your teammates, which teammate would you want to have with you?
A: Renee Bloome. She brings everything; she's always prepared. She has a bag of stuff like Mary Poppins - you never know what she's going to have. She has everything in there.
Q: What is the most common misconception people make about crew?
A: I think people are surprised by how much effort we put into rowing. They think it's just rowing around in a bunch of boats and they don't realize the time and effort we put into it. I think we work twice as hard as any team on campus, and we don't get as much credit as everyone else.
Players Mentioned
