By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's rowing team will open the 2026 season ranked No. 3 in the Pocock CRCA Preseason Poll.
Coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA II Championships in 2025, the Vikings will be aiming for their 10th national title in 2026.
WWU opens the 2026 season March 7 at the American Lake Sprints and hosts a home regatta racing head-to-head against the University of Puget Sound on April 11 on Lake Samish.
Defending national champion Embry-Riddle (FL) received all five first-place votes as the preseason No. 1 team in NCAA Division II, followed by four programs from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Cal Poly Humboldt is ranked No. 2, WWU at No. 3, Seattle Pacific at No. 4 and Central Oklahoma at No. 5.
Western has qualified for nationals in each of the last eight full seasons and 21 out of 23 possible times competing at the NCAA Division II level. The Vikings have won nine national championships with the last in 2024. Head coach Courtney Moeller enters her second full season as the Vikings head coach and 11th as a coach in the program.
The complete 2026 WWU rowing schedule can be found online at WWUVikings.com.
CRCA PRESEASON COACHES POLL
Here is a look at the 2026 CRCA Preseason Poll:
|
Rank
|
School
|
|
1.
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Embry-Riddle (FL)
|
|
2.
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Cal Poly Humboldt
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3.
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Western Washington
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|
4.
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Seattle Pacific
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|
5.
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Central Oklahoma
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6.
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Rollins
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7.
|
Barry
|
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8.
|
Nova Southeastern
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WWU Rowing is one of the elite collegiate rowing programs in the country across all divisions, having won nine NCAA Division II National Championships. The Vikings won the 2024 NCAA II National title, the 2017 title, placed 2nd in 2018, 3rd in 2019 and runner-up in 2022. WWU has competed in the NCAA Championships in 21 of the 23 NCAA Division II national regattas, taking home the gold (9 times), silver (5 times) and bronze (6) medal 20 times in the 23 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded, and reached the podium 20 times. Western won seven consecutive DII national championships from 2005-2011.
WWU Rowing Inside the Numbers:
21 – NCAA II Rowing Championship Appearances (out of 23)
16 – Individual Championships (Eights-7, Fours-9)
9 – National Championships (2005-11, 2017, 2024)
6 – 3rd Place Finishes at Nationals
5 – National Runner-Up Finishes
2 – GNAC Championships (in 5-year history of event)
