INDIANAPOLIS – The Western Washington University women's rowing team placed third at the 2019 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships, concluding the three-day event on Sunday at the Indianapolis Rowing Center at Eagle Creek Park.
The Vikings were led by a runner-up finish by the Varsity Four to earn 10 team points, while the Varsity Eight stormed back in the final 500 meters to place third in the Grand Final to earn 12 points. WWU finished with 22 total points, one back of national runner-up Florida Tech (23 points). Central Oklahoma won both races on Sunday to record a perfect team score of 30 points.
"I am extremely proud of this group for how they competed all season to make nationals, and then how they rowed their hearts out here at the championships," said 21
st-year head coach
John Fuchs. "The four had a great race and put us in good position to start, but it just wasn't the eight's day. Even though we fell short of the podium, it was a great team performance and I could not be prouder of how they competed and represented our university."
The four set the tone in the first race of the day for the Vikings, mounting a strong comeback in the second half of the race to earn runner-up honors. Splits showed the Vikings in 3
rd place after the first 1,000m, a few seats back of Florida Tech. WWU closed the gap trailing FIT by a narrow margin at the 1500m mark, and then the Vikings powered through to the finish to overcome the Panthers for the second-place finish. WWU covered the 2,000m course in 7:31.086, tailing winner Central Oklahoma (7:27.026) and ahead of Florida Tech (7:32.884).
Needing to win the Grand Final in the eight for the national championship, the Vikings were forced to race from behind from the start. Florida Tech and Central Oklahoma traded the lead in the first 1,000m, before the Bronchos pulled away to win their second consecutive national title. WWU was in fourth place after the first 1,000m, but used one of the program's trademark strong finishes to overcome Seattle Pacific by a bow-ball at the finish line to secure 12 team points with the third-place finish. WWU's time on the 2,000m course was 6:43.504, edging SPU by a thin margin (6:43.651). UCO raced to an open-water victory in 6:33.011 with Florida Tech finishing 2
nd (6:37.088) to secure the national runner-up finish.
This marks the fifth third-place finish for the Vikings in program history at the NCAA II Rowing Championships, also earning the bronze medal in 2016 (Lake Natoma, CA), 2013-14 (Indianapolis) and 2004 (Lake Natoma, CA). In 18 years of the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships, WWU has made 17 appearances with eight national titles, four silver medals and five bronze medals, never finishing below third place.
The 2020 NCAA Rowing Championships is scheduled to be held May 29-31 on Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge Rowing Association (ORRA) serving as event hosts.
2019 NCAA DII ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS STANDINGS
The Vikings placed third in the 2019 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships with 22 points, gathering 10 points with the second-place finish in the four and 12 points with the third-place finish in the eight. Florida Tech edged WWU by one point for the runner-up trophy with 23 points and Central Oklahoma won its second consecutive national title with a perfect 30 points.
|
Place
|
Team
|
Points
|
|
1
|
Central Oklahoma
|
30
|
|
2
|
Florida Tech
|
23
|
|
3
|
Western Washington
|
22
|
|
4
|
Seattle Pacific
|
15
|
|
5
|
Jefferson
|
8
|
|
6
|
UC San Diego
|
7
|
SUNDAY'S RACING RESULTS
Here is a look at the final results from Sunday's four Division II races at the NCAA Rowing Championships. WWU raced out of Lane 4 in the eight and Lane 1 in the four.
|
Varsity 4+ Petite Final
|
|
1. UC San Diego (7:40.841)
|
2. Jefferson (7:51.998)
|
|
|
|
Varsity 4+ Grand Final
|
|
1. Central Oklahoma (7:27.026)
|
2. Western Washington (7:31.086)
|
3. Florida Tech (7:32.884)
|
4. Seattle Pacific (7:37.855)
|
|
Varsity 8+ Petite Final
|
|
1. Jefferson (6:42.130)
|
2. UC San Diego (6:46.048)
|
|
|
|
Varsity 8+ Grand Final
|
|
1. Central Oklahoma (6:33.011)
|
2. Florida Tech (6:37.088)
|
3. Western Washington (6:43.504)
|
4. Seattle Pacific (6:43.651)
|
VIKINGS FLEET
Here is a look at boat lineups for the four and eight that raced at the 2019 NCAA Rowing Championships:
|
Varsity 8+
|
|
Cox – Corina Chon (Jr., Bellingham, WA/Sehome)
|
|
Stroke – Angie Dexter (Jr., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage)
|
|
7 – Maddie Bangasser (So., Sammamish, WA/Eastlake)
|
|
6 – Paige Jacobsen (Jr., Bellingham, WA/Bellingham)
|
|
5 – Karisa Stapp (Sr., Bellingham, WA/Mount Baker)
|
|
4 – Jessica Smithlin (So., Orting, WA/Orting)
|
|
3 – Kelsey Fast (So., Covington, WA/Kentwood)
|
|
2 – Molly McDonald (Fr., Burien, WA/Kennedy Catholic)
|
|
Bow – Carly Lant (Jr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge)
|
|
Varsity 4+
|
|
Cox – Adele Houston (Jr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale)
|
|
Stroke – Hannah Bivans (Sr., Claremont, CA/Claremont)
|
|
3 – Rachael Schick (So., Anchorage, AK/East Anchorage)
|
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2 – Anneka Bostrom (So., Arlington, WA/Lakewood)
|
|
Bow – Michaela Bonenberger (Jr., Fort Collins, CO/Fossil Ridge)
|
THE POINTS SYSTEM
A question is often asked on how the national championships is scored at the NCAA II Rowing Championships. Below is the breakdown of how points were awarded to determine the national champion with finishes in Sunday's races:
|
2019 NCAA II Rowing Championships
Points Awarded
|
|
Place
|
Eights
|
Fours
|
|
1
|
18 (UCO)
|
12 (UCO)
|
|
2
|
15 (FIT)
|
10 (WWU)
|
|
3
|
12 (WWU)
|
8 (FIT)
|
|
4
|
9 (SPU)
|
6 (SPU)
|
|
5
|
6 (JU)
|
4 (UCSD)
|
|
6
|
3 (UCSD)
|
2 (JU)
|
|
Source: NCAA Rowing Championships Manual
|
KEEPING THE STREAK ALIVE
In the 17 seasons that the Vikings have competed at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships – out of 18 possible seasons – WWU has had both of its boats reach the Grand Final in every event. WWU has never finished below third place at the national championships, winning eight national titles, runner-up four times and third place five times. Here is a look at WWU's finishes at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships:
» 2019 - 3rd
» 2018 - 2nd
» 2017 - 1st
» 2016 - 3rd
» 2015 - DNP
» 2014 - 3rd
» 2013 - 3rd
» 2012 - 2nd
» 2011 - 1st
» 2010 - 1st
» 2009 - 1st
» 2008 - 1st
» 2007 - 1st
» 2006 - 1st
» 2005 - 1st
» 2004 - 3rd
» 2003 - 2nd
» 2002 - 2nd
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
The Vikings have raced at the NCAA Rowing Championships in 18 of the last 19 seasons, and the 17times in the 18 seasons that an NCAA Division II champion has been crowned (since 2002). WWU was the national runner-up in 2018 and won the program's eighth national title in 2017. The Vikings won seven consecutive national championships from 2005-2011. WWU has taken home the gold (8 times) or silver (4 times) medal 12 times in the 18 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded. During the 18 years of the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships, the fours have won nine individual titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018) and the eights have six titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011).
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
Here is a look at the national champion and runner-up from each of the 818 years that the NCAA Division II has crowned a national title dating back to 2002:
|
YEAR
|
CHAMPION
|
POINTS
|
RUNNER-UP
|
POINTS
|
SITE
|
|
2019
|
Central Oklahoma
|
30
|
Florida Tech
|
23
|
Indianapolis, IN
|
|
2018
|
Central Oklahoma
|
18
|
Western Washington
|
14
|
Sarasota, FL
|
|
2017
|
Western Washington
|
17
|
Central Oklahoma
|
16
|
West Windsor, NJ
|
|
2016
|
Barry
|
20
|
Central Oklahoma
|
15
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2015
|
Barry
|
20
|
Mercyhurst
|
15
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2014
|
Humboldt State
|
16
|
Nova Southeastern
|
15
|
Indianapolis, IN
|
|
2013
|
Nova Southeastern
|
20
|
Barry
|
15
|
Indianapolis, IN
|
|
2012
|
Humboldt State
|
20
|
Western Washington
|
13
|
West Windsor, NJ
|
|
2011
|
Western Washington
|
20
|
Mercyhurst
|
13
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2010
|
Western Washington
|
20
|
Seattle Pacific
|
11
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2009
|
Western Washington
|
18
|
Mercyhurst
|
13
|
Cherry Hill, NJ
|
|
2008
|
Western Washington
|
20
|
UC San Diego
|
15
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2007
|
Western Washington
|
20
|
UC San Diego
|
11
|
Knoxville, TN
|
|
2006
|
Western Washington
|
20
|
Barry
|
15
|
West Windsor, NJ
|
|
2005
|
Western Washington
|
20
|
Mercyhurst
|
12
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2004
|
Mercyhurst
|
18
|
Humboldt State
|
17
|
Lake Natoma, CA
|
|
2003
|
UC Davis
|
20
|
Western Washington
|
15
|
Indianapolis, IN
|
|
2002
|
UC Davis
|
50
|
Western Washington
|
45
|
Indianapolis, IN
|
FOLLOW THE VIKS
More information on the 2019 WWU Rowing season, including a details schedule, roster and quick facts can be found online at
WWUVikings.com/RowViks and via social media on
Twitter (@WWU_Rowing),
Instagram (@wwuwomensrowing) and
Facebook (@WWURowing).
ABOUT WWU ROWING
Led by 21
st-year head coach
John Fuchs, WWU Rowing has become one of the elite collegiate rowing programs in the country, having won eight NCAA Division II National Championships. The Vikings won the 2017 NCAA II title, placed 2nd in 2018 and 3rd in 2019. WWU has competed in the NCAA Championships in 18 of the last 19 seasons, taking home the gold (8 times) or silver (4 times) medal 12 times in the 18 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded. Western won seven consecutive DII national championships from 2005-2011. In 17 trips to the NCAA Rowing Championships dating back to 2002, WWU has had its Varsity 4+ and Varsity 8+ reach the grand finals every time.
