The Women's Rowing Committee during its June 19-22 meeting in Falmouth, Massachusetts, selected a site for the 2002 championship and made preparations for conducting separate division championships for the first time.

The committee recommended to the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet that Indianapolis host the 2002 event at Eagle Creek.

Though a site for the 2001 championship has not been named, the committee noted that it anticipates the 2001 regatta being the final National Collegiate Championship. Although no changes will be made to the championship format for 2001, the committee recognized that the Division III Management Council has approved legislation to create a Division III Women's Rowing Championship that likely will become effective in 2002. In preparation for the change, the committee will forward several recommendations for the future of the championship and agreed that a separate Division III championship would best serve the sport at the same site as the Division I and II competition.

For the future of the Division I and II championship, the committee will recommend to the Championships/Competition Cabinet that at-large selections be eliminated and 14 teams of two eights and a boat of four compete. This change would continue to emphasize team competition and allow more championship opportunities to teams with larger squad sizes.

The committee also will forward a recommendation to the Division II Championships Committee that a separate Division II championship be conducted at the same site as the Division I and Division III championships, pending sufficient sponsorship numbers, in order to provide more championship opportunities for Division II teams.

The committee also spent time at its meeting discussing possible formats for future championships. Although no action is expected in the short term, the committee is planning to discuss various concepts with coaches at the College Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) meeting this fall. Possible formats have been suggested that would alter the championship field to three boats of eight in an effort to allow schools to bring a larger percentage of their teams to the championship.

The committee also plans to address its championship date formula to ensure that the dates no longer fall on Memorial Day weekend, a formula that will be in effect through 2001. The committee hopes to have a new formula in effect, however, for subsequent championships.

In other action, the committee:

Clarified that for the purposes of rankings, selection and championship seeding, the committee reserves the right to consider all results from spring competition, including races conducted on courses that deviate from the recommended 2,000-meter distance.

Emphasized that male coxswains are not permitted on any women's rowing team either varsity of sub-varsity during the regular season or at the NCAA championship. Teams in violation will not be ranked during the season or selected to the championship field. The committee further clarified its intent is to consider as varsity all participants in women's rowing. The term varsity includes all rowers on the team, including participants historically referred to as varsity, junior varsity, sub-varsity, novice and lightweight.

Stipulated that beginning in 2001, the committee will be selecting from five regions rather than four as in the past and will take a minimum of one team from each of the five regions.

Agreed that in order to allow more time for teams to submit lineup forms, the deadline will be extended from noon Eastern until 4 p.m. Eastern on Monday, May 14. Although the committee discussed eliminating the lineup forms, the lineup form will be maintained for 2001, and the CRCA will be asked for recommendations on the percentage of team members that must row together at least once during the season and/or substitution policy.