The Vikings will compete in the NCAA Rowing Championships May 25-27 in Sarasota, Florida. PHOTO: WWU Athletics
WWU Opens NCAA Rowing Championships Friday
May 24, 2018
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women’s rowing team is on the national stage once again, set to compete in the NCAA Rowing Championships for the 17th time in the last 18 seasons.
The Vikings are one of four NCAA Division II teams that will compete for the national team title, with Western aiming for its 9th national championship. WWU won the 2017 NCAA II national championship, and won eight consecutive team titles from 2005-2011.
Racing at the 2018 NCAA Rowing Championships begins Friday morning (May 25) with WWU’s eight and four-oared boats set to take to the 2,000-meter course at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. The University of Central Florida and the Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Association are serving as hosts for the NCAA’s largest national championship with the Division I, II and III team titles all at stake this weekend during the three-day event.
“We are excited to be part of the NCAA Championships,” said 20th-year head coach John Fuchs. “It is always a well-run regatta. We will do our best to represent WWU, Bellingham and Northwest Washington communities. Go Viks.”
WWU was selected as the At-Large team in the four-team regatta for the 2018 championships, with Central Oklahoma (West), Florida Tech (South) and Mercyhurst (East) claiming the three spots dedicated to the regions that make up NCAA Division II rowing.
Western won the 2017 NCAA II Championships team title, the eighth national championship in program history, beating Central Oklahoma by one point, 17-16. UC San Diego and Barry were also awarded at-large eights in the championship.
Racing at the NCAA Championships begins Friday morning with the Division II heats in the eights and fours scheduled to begin at 10:26 am ET/7:26 am PT. The race schedule for Friday has been updated since originally released due to expected bad weather in the Sarasota area.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans can follow the 2018 NCAA Rowing Championships online with a live webcast and live results during all three days of the event. The NCAA will have commentators for each race, along with an added drone angle to enhance the live coverage:
📊 Live Results via Regatta Timing
