SARASOTA, Fla. – The Western Washington University women's rowing team opened the first day of the NCAA Division II Championships with a solid team effort at Nathan Benderson Park.

 

Both WWU crews – the Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ – were in action twice on Friday during a new format for the Division II Rowing Championships Regatta. The V8+ won the afternoon repechage to advance to Saturday's four-boat Grand Final, with the V4+ just missing out on qualifying following a solid 3rd-place showing in the repechage.

 

"Both boats made great changes for the afternoon races. I'm really proud of how they raced and how they executed their race plan," said WWU Assistant Coach Courtney Moeller. "It's exciting to have the Varsity Eight in the Grand Final. It's still anyone's guess what will happen tomorrow, it's going to be an exciting day of racing."

 

The Varsity 8+ made sure it was still in contention for a national title holding off Embry-Riddle in the eights repechage finishing the 2,000-meter course in 6:48.027. WWU finished 2nd in the second heat in the morning in 6:42.899 just behind Jefferson. The Vikings will compete against Mercyhurst, Jefferson and Embry-Riddle in the Eights Grand Final at 9 am PT/12 pm ET. 

 

The fours put together its best race of the season in the repechage, but was edged out by Seattle Pacific in the final half of the race to fall just short of qualifying for the four-boat Grand Final. WWU will race in the Fours Petite Final at 8 am PT/11 am ET going head-to-head against Jefferson.

 

"There's so much to be excited about for the Varsity Four," added Moeller. "They've only been together a very short time and three of them are freshmen."

 

Mercyhurst and Embry-Riddle head into Saturday's final day of racing with both of its boats advancing to the Grand Final. This marks the first time in 18 trips to nationals that the eight-time national champion Vikings will not have both boats in the Grand Final.

 

In the morning heat, the Varsity 8+ got off to a solid start and battled Jefferson for much of the 2,000-meter course, but placed 2nd in a speedy time of 6:42.899. Jefferson earned an afternoon off winning the second heat in 6:38.671. Embry-Riddle was well back of WWU in 3rd place finishing in 7:13.441. Mercyhurst bested Central Oklahoma and Seattle Pacific in the first heat to advance to the Grand Final.

 

In the Varsity 4+ morning competition, the Vikings raced in the second heat and got off to a strong start before finishing 3rd behind Mercyhurst and Central Oklahoma. WWU clocked a time of 8:06.401.

 

Five hours after the completion of the morning heats, the Vikings were back in action in the repechage competing for a spot in Saturday's Grand Final in both the eights and the fours.

 

More information on the 2022 NCAA Rowing Championships, which includes the Division I, II and III races, can be found online via at ChampionshipRowing.com. The 2022 NCAA Rowing Championships is hosted by the University of Central Florida and Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy. The entire championship regatta will feature a live webcast online at NCAA.com.

 

• Morning Session Video Replay
• Afternoon Session Video Replay

#GNACROW | @WWUAthletics advances to the varsity 8+ grand final while @ucoathletics & @SPUsports make the varsity 4+ grand final at the #D2ROW Championships.https://t.co/7TfGCI9P5v pic.twitter.com/OT3RMgYumK
— GNAC Sports (@GNACsports) May 27, 2022

 

Here is a look at the schedule for the final day of the 2022 NCAA II Rowing Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. The regatta will stream live online at NCAA.com.

 

 

Here is a look at the results from Friday's competition at the 2022 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships:

 

 

Here is a look at the boat lineups for the Vikings at the 2022 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships. The Vikings are debuting two new Vespoli shells during the championship regatta:

 

 

Teams will be scored based on placing in the Varsity 4+ and Varsity 8+ race as follows. Ties for team awards will be broken by the place finish in the eights. The top scoring team will be awarded the 2022 NCAA Division II national championship trophy:

 

 

 

WWU has advanced to the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships in 18 of the 20 years of the event (18 of 19 in full seasons) and 19 total times to the national rowing regatta (was a combined championship prior to 2002). The Vikings are eight-time national champions, winning seven consecutive titles from 2005-11 and again in 2017. In 17 previous trips to the DII Rowing Championships, Western has taken home the gold (8 times) or silver (4 times) medal 12 times and finished on the podium (top three) in every trip to nationals (five 3rd-place finishes).

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Here is a look at the national champion and runner-up from each of the 19 years that the NCAA Division II has crowned a national title dating back to 2002. WWU won seven consecutive national titles from 2005-11 and returned to the top of the podium in 2017.

 

 

WWU Rowing Inside the Numbers:

18 – NCAA II Rowing Championship Appearances (out of 20)

15 – Individual Championships (Eight-6, Fours-9)

8 – National Championships (2005-11, 2017)

4 – National Runner-Up Finishes

 

WWU assistant coach Courtney Moeller will lead the Viking contingent in Florida. Moeller is in her seventh season as a full-time member of the coaching staff after a standout career that helped lead the Vikings to their first national championship as the stroke in the Varsity Four in 2005. Moeller also serves as the program director for Whatcom Rowing Association in Bellingham.

 

Western Washington University has combined for 11 team national championships, with rowing winning eight of those titles (2005-11, 2017). WWU also won team championships in 1998 (Softball, NAIA) and 2012 (Men's Basketball). Additionally, the women's basketball team (2022), Women's Soccer (2019) and Volleyball (2018) earned national runner-up honors in recent years.

 

More information on the WWU Rowing program, 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).

 

Led by head coach John Fuchs (24th season), WWU Rowing is 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 21 seasons, taking home the gold (8 times) or silver (4 times) medal 12 times in the 19 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded. Western won seven consecutive DII national championships from 2005-2011. The Vikings added the 2022 GNAC Rowing Championships team and V8+ titles to its trophy case this season, in addition to the WIRA V8+ Gold Medal.