A pair of familiar foes battled on the waters of Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis May 31-June 2 at the Division I Women's Rowing Championship.

Perennial powers Brown and Washington went head to head for the sixth time in the championship's history, and Brown's win evened the score at three titles apiece.

Brown's team title goes with crowns the Bears won in 1999 and 2000. Washington won titles in 1997 and 1998, the first two years of the championship, and then again last year.

This was the first year that three separate division championships had been held in rowing. The event previously had been a National Collegiate championship.

Washington earned its fourth title in the I Eights with a time of 6:36.41. Brown held off a determined California crew to finish second at 6:39.87. Ohio State, Princeton and Stanford rounded out the scoring in the first varsity eight.

But Brown's second-place finish was enough to clinch the team championship. The Bears finished with 67 points, four ahead of Washington, which became the first crew to win the I Eights and not win the team title.

Along with its win in the I Eights, Washington won its first II Eights, rowing a 6:46.39. Brown was second in that race as well, almost two seconds behind.

"It was bittersweet. All the coaches knew something like this could happen coming in," said Brown head coach John Murphy. "All respect to Washington, they are the national champions in both the eights."

Brown's only event title was in the Fours, an event the Bears had not won since 1997. Brown won with a time of 7:42.24. Virginia was the runner-up at 7:44.90, followed by Yale with a time of 7:46.80.

California took the Fours petite final title with a time of 7:48.59. Ohio State finished second at 7:51.98, and Princeton placed third at 7:52.34.

Other titlists in the petite finals were Yale in the I Eights with a time of 6:39.99. Southern California finished second with 6:43.71, and Michigan placed third in 6:44.31. In the II Eights petite final, Princeton nipped Ohio State and California placed third.

Team results

1. Brown, 67; 2. Washington, 63; 3. California, 44; 4. Virginia, 43; 5. Ohio St., 42; 6. Yale, 42; 7. Princeton, 40: 8. Michigan, 40; 9. Michigan St., 29; 10. Stanford, 26; 11. Harvard, 19; 12. Syracuse, 13.

Event results

Fours: Petite final -- 1. California [Anita Sarrett (coxswain), Jane Griffith, Lorraine Coke, Emily Getchel, Hilary Men], 7:48:59; 2. Ohio St., 7:51:98; 3. Princeton, 7:52:34; 4. Washington, 7:54:47; 5. Syracuse, 7:59:69; 6. Stanford, 7:59:75.

Fours: Final -- 1. Brown [Alex Agloro (coxswain), Lee Reynolds, Diane Schneider, Meaghan Kelly, Megan Wachs], 7:42:24; 2. Virginia, 7:44:90; 3. Yale, 7:46:80; 4. Michigan, 7:47:61; 5. Michigan St., 7:48:57; 6. Harvard, 7:49:43.

II Eights: Petite final -- 1. Princeton [Virginia Diavolitsis (coxswain), Rebecca Neison, Emily Thorton, Sallie Langston, Julianna Schmuke, Katie Morrill, Anne Austin, Lindsay Hedrick, Jennifer Freeburg], 6:54:60; 2. Ohio St., 6:55:13; 3. California, 6:58:90; 4. Harvard, 6:59:79; 5. Stanford, 7:00:14; 6. Syracuse, 7:03:19.

II Eights: Final -- 1. Washington [Anne Hessburg (coxswain), Jenni Vesnaver, Jesssica Harm, Shannon Oates, Erin Becht, Sanda Hangan, Marghe Pallottino, Erin Curry, Mandy Nelson], 6:46:39; 2. Brown, 6:48:18; 3. Virginia, 6:49:43; 4. Michigan St., 6:50:86; 5. Michigan, 6:54:61; 6. Yale, 6:56:78.

I Eights: Petite final -- 1. Yale [Katie Marshall (coxswain), Kate Wetmore, Jordan Pearce-Bristol, Stephanie Rollins, Melissa Merritt, Megan Leitch, Ashley Brzozowicz, Shannon O'Grady, Eliza Kennedy], 6:39:99; 2. Southern California, 6:43:71; 3. Michigan, 6:44:31; 4. Virginia, 6:44:87; 5. Syracuse, 6:45:73; 6. Harvard, 6:47:46.

I Eights: Final -- 1. Washington [Mary Whipple (coxswain), Lauren Estevenin, Annabel Ritchie, Anna Mickelson, Heidi Hurn, Adrienne Hunter, Carrie Stasiak, Kara Nykreim, Yuunneke Stenken], 6:36:41; 2. Brown, 6:39:87; 3. California, 6:40:96; 4. Ohio St., 6:41:11; 5. Princeton, 6:44:54; 6. Stanford, 6:52:53.