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The NCAA News -- June 7, 1999

Brown's last stroke earns first women's rowing championship

Brown captured its first National Collegiate Women's Rowing Championship by edging out Virginia in the final race of the championship May 30 at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, California.

Virginia took a three-point lead into the championship's final event after winning the II varsity eight and claiming second place in the varsity four.

The Cavaliers and the eventual champion Bears knew the stakes entering the I varsity eight showdown. Brown, which had surprised defending-champion Washington to claim the top seed in the decisive race, was shooting for the school's first NCAA title in any sport.

The race between the two squads was tight for the first 1,000 meters before Brown pulled away over the final 500 meters. The Bears posted their best time of the season at 6:46.89, nearly four seconds faster than their previous best.

Technically, the victory in the final race gave Brown only a tie with Virginia, which finished second in the I varsity eight, at 56 total points. The Bears won because the tiebreaker states that the team that had the better finish in the I varsity eight is declared the champion.

"It was a fantastic race," said John Murphy, Brown's head coach. "The kids gave it everything they had. Obviously, these were all tough races, but I'm really proud of how these kids responded. This is a fantastic event, and I'm just really happy with the way things turned out."

"I'm very proud of the crews," Virginia's head coach Kevin Sauer said. "To finish first or second in all three races is certainly an accomplishment. To tie for the championship is awesome. It is beyond our expectations."

Two-time defending-champion Washington, which finished third with 42 points, opened the competition with a win in the varsity fours but was upset in the semifinals of the I varsity eights by Brown. It broke a streak of 33 straight wins for the Huskies.

Washington, the only other school besides Brown to have won the championship, staged the most exciting comeback of the competition during the II varsity eight finals. The Huskies trailed Michigan for third place in the event by two seconds 1,500 meters into the event and came back to overcome the Wolverines.

The Huskies led Michigan by almost a seat at one point late in the race. Michigan surged at the end and forced a photo finish, which showed that the Wolverines had finished third by .19 seconds.

Princeton finished fourth in the championship with 36 points to edge out the Wolverines' total of 35.

TEAM RESULTS

1. Brown, 56*; 2. Virginia, 56*; 3. Washington, 42; 4. Princeton, 36; 5. Michigan, 35; 6. California, 33; 7. Harvard, 27; 8. Michigan St., 18; 9. Boston U., 17; 10. Wisconsin, 10.

*Tiebreaker declares the team with the best finish in I varsity eight as the champion, which was Brown.

EVENT RESULTS

Fours: 1. Washington [Erin Becht, Anna Mickelson, Kara Nyrein, Kellie Schenk and Mary Whipple (coxswain)], 7:34.50; 2. Virginia, 7:40.20; 3. Brown, 7:41.89; 4. Michigan, 7:48.20; 5. Harvard, 7:52.50. 6. Wisconsin, 7:58.79.

I Eights: 1. Brown [Caroline Grogan, Erin Kelley, Amy Meyers, Nina Carter, Kellie Walker, Anda Adams, Rachel Anderson, Portia Johnson, and Katherine Saul (coxswain)], 6:46.89; 2. Virginia, 6:50.50; 3. California, 6:51.79; 4. Princeton, 6:52.00; 5. Washington, 6:55.29; 6. Harvard, 7:02.79.

II Eights: 1. Virginia, [Charlotte Quesada, Emily Egge, Sara Garrett, Erin Lieb, Lauren Brown, Jennifer Herberger, Charlotte Kraenzle, Lynette Sobehart and Sarah Harrick (coxswain)], 6:50.79; 2. Brown, 6:53.29; 3. Michigan, 6:55.20; 4. Washington, 6:55.39; 5. Princeton, 7:03.20; 6. Michigan St., 7:09.39.