WWU To Race For National Title at NCAA Rowing Championships

The WWU Rowing program has won eight NCAA Division II national championships. PHOTO: WWU Athletics

WWU To Race For National Title at NCAA Rowing Championships

May 21, 2019

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – It would not be an NCAA Rowing Championships without Western Washington University, and for the 18thtime in the last 19 seasons, the Vikings will get the chance to compete for the national championship.

WWU was one of three at-large berths to the six-team field that will compete at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships that will be held May 31-June 2 at the Indianapolis Rowing Center at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The eight-time national champion Vikings were one of four West Region teams selected to the six-team field, joining Central Oklahoma, UC San Diego and Seattle Pacific. Thomas Jefferson University will represent East region and Florida Tech was the top seed out of the South region.

2019 NCAA DIVISION II ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Central Oklahoma - West

Thomas Jefferson - East

Florida Tech - South

UC San Diego - At-Large

Seattle Pacific - At-Large

Western Washington - At-Large

Racing at the NCAA Championships is set to begin on Friday, May 31 with the Division II heats in the eights and fours scheduled to begin at 11:24 am ET/8:24 am PT. Each of the six teams selected to the championships will race an eight and four-oared boat, a new format for the 2019 Division II Rowing Championships.

“Our program goal has always been to compete for a national championship, and the hard work has been rewarded with a trip to nationals,” said 21st-year head coach John Fuchs. “We still have one more hill to climb, but when get to the championships, it is wide open and whoever wants it the most will be the champion. I am excited this youthful group gets to continue to train together and a chance to compete for a title.”

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 17 years the NCAA Division II team title has been awarded dating back to 2002. During the 17 years of the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships, the fours have won nine titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018) and the eights have six titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011).

More information on the NCAA Rowing Championships, which includes the Division I, II and III races, can be found online via atIndianaSportsCorp.org. The 2019 NCAA Rowing Championships is hosted by Indiana University, in conjunction with Indiana Sports Corp and the Indianapolis Rowing Center. The 2019 NCAA Rowing Championships will stream online at NCAA.com.

RACE SCHEDULE & LANE ASSIGNMENTS

Here are the lane and heat assignments for the opening day of racing (May 31) of the 2019 NCAA Division II Rowing Championship. The winner of each heat will advance automatically to the Sunday Grand Final, while all other crews will race in Saturday’s repechage looking to advance to Sunday’s four-boat Grand Final. Saturday’s repechage is scheduled to begin at 10:24 am ET/7:24 am PT with the eights, followed by the fours at 10:48 am ET/7:48 am PT:

EIGHTS: HEAT A (11:24 am ET/8:24 am PT)

Jefferson

Central Oklahoma

Seattle Pacific

EIGHTS: HEAT B (11:36 am ET/8:36 am PT)

Western Washington

Florida Tech

UC San Diego

FOURS: HEAT A (11:48 am ET/8:48 am PT)