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OAK RIDGE - No nook or cranny of the globe is off limits to University of Tennessee women's rowing coach Lisa Glenn.

Four members of the Lady Vols' Varsity 8+ top shell - who wrap up competition this morning at the Aramark Sprints/South and Central Regionals on the Melton Hill Lake rowing course - hail from outside the United States.

"Typically during the summer I travel to international events, watch racing and let people know we're (Tennessee) here," said Glenn.

That's how Glenn found Libu<0x0161>e Bruncvikova of the Czech Republic, the lone freshman on the Lady Vols' Varsity 8+ crew.

"I ran into Libu<0x0161>e at the World Championships two years ago in Amsterdam," said Glenn.

"It's not uncommon for teams to have international kids. We have Erin-Monique Shelton from New Zealand and Kate Brownlee and Krista Gearing from Canada. We have a lot of interesting athletes."

Bruncvikova had a pipeline to collegiate rowing in the United States through her brother Milan, who was on the Cal-Berkley crew. Milan also was a member of the Czech Republic straight-four team that won a gold medal in the 2007 European Championships.

"All of my family has rowed," said Bruncvikova. "I already knew how it was here (in the United States) because of my brother."

Bruncvikova said one big difference in collegiate rowing in the United States is the melding of athletics and academics.

"It's hard to combine studies and rowing in the Czech Republic. They don't like you to do both over there."

"One of the draws to Tennessee for Libu<0x0161>e was she could row at a high level and get her degree," said Glenn. "She was very attracted to that."

Bruncvikova is just one of the many pieces to the puzzle that make the Tennessee Varsity 8 team one of the tops in the country.

Tennessee achieved its highest ranking in the USRowing/CRCA Varsity 8 poll last month when the Lady Vols were No. 4 in the country.

"We've had a very solid season and been very consistent," said Glenn.

Bruncvikova said her first season at Tennessee has been everything and more than she could have hoped for.

"Everybody has treated me so well. All of my teammates have been great . . . I feel like I have a new family here," she said.

Other members of the UT Varsity 8 crew - which is considered the cadillac shell in rowing - are Kendra Warren, Renee Brittle, Mary Jones, Jessica Ayers and coxswain Katie Ross.

Seven Varsity 8 shells ranked in the top 20 are vying for a spot in this morning's finals, including No. 6 Tennessee, No. 9 Virginia and No. 11 Ohio State.

Bruncvikova said she expects the Lady Vols' Varsity 8 crew to live up to its billing.

"I think we have a chance to get to the finals and take medals. We've had the best results in history this year and I'm excited to race."

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.