The NCAA News - News and Features

June 9, 1997

Washington lives up to favorite's role in women's rowing

Huskies turn back Princeton, Brown to win title in sport's first official NCAA season

The Washington Huskies are used to wearing rowing crowns, but the crown they donned at the inaugural National Collegiate Women's Rowing Championships is the first with "NCAA" stamped on it.

A perennial power in rowing, Washington entered the NCAA's first national regatta as the clear favorite but was met with stern challenges from Princeton and Brown before taking the first NCAA team title May 30-June 1 at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, California.

The three teams were the only ones with boats in the finals of all three events. Washington finished second in the Fours and II Eights, then won the I Eights to take the crown from Princeton by 17 points.

Entering the I Eights, Washington held a five-point lead over Princeton, then led from start to finish to complete the race in 6:31.8. Princeton needed to win the race to win the team title. The Tigers already had taken first in the II Eights, but finished third in the crowning event.

For Washington, which has won several regional and national titles in rowing, this one meant a bit more.

"It was heightened with the crowd, the professional way the regatta was run, the awards ceremony, the number of schools here, and the fact that the NCAA funded it and planned it," said Huskies coach Jan Harville. "This is big for the University of Washington."

Princeton had posted the best semifinal time in the I Eights, but the Huskies stepped up when it mattered most, shaving nearly 10 seconds from their semifinal time.

Brown, champion in the Fours, placed sixth and fourth in the II Eights and I Eights, respectively, and finished third overall.

"We're really happy with where we finished in the team competition," Brown coach John Murphy said. "Winning the Fours was a great win -- one of the best races I've been a part of. I thought the whole series with Washington was great. The heats, the semis and the finals were real battles and great experiences for these athletes."

Brown edged Washington in the Fours by six tenths of a second in the regatta's closest race.

National Collegiate women's rowing

TEAM RESULTS

1. Washington, 201; 2. Princeton, 184; 3. Brown, 170; 4. Virginia, 146; 5. Yale, 108; 6. Rutgers, 100; 7. Oregon St., 97; 8. Dartmouth, 81.

EVENT RESULTS

Fours: 1. Brown [Emily Zobel, Anda Adams, Caroline Grogan, Nina Carter, Kate Saul (coxswain)], 7:24.5; 2. Washington, 7:25.1; 3. Cal St. Sacramento, 7:37.1; 4. Iowa, 7:39.7; 5. Princeton, 7:43.7; 6. MIT, 7:47.9.

II Eights: 1. Princeton [Stephanie Jones, Joanna Schmidt, Ashley McCowen, Christy Wiegard, Kira Gresdiroff, Abigail Cromwell, Emily Jones, Michelle Clarke, Yon Sung (coxswain)], 6:59.9; 2. Washington, 7:03.2; 3. Virginia, 7:06.5; 4. Rutgers, 7:09.4; 5. Yale, 7:11.9; 6. Brown, 7:12.7.

I Eights: 1. Washington [Sabrina Telenska, Denni Nessler, Kelly Horton, Katy Dunnet, Annie Christie, Jan Williamson, Tristine Glick, Kari Green, Alida Purves (coxswain)], 6:31.8; 2. Massachusetts, 6:37.0; 3. Princeton, 6:39.2; 4. Brown, 6:40.5; 5. Virginia, 6:40.9; 6. California, 6:52.0.