Tuesday, May 21, 2024
by Evan O'Kelly, Assistant Commissioner For Communications

INDIANAPOLIS – All four of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women’s rowing programs are headed to the 2024 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships, as the field was unveiled on Tuesday afternoon.

It is the second straight year that the GNAC will have full representation at the championship event, as the conference’s teams swept the top-four spots at the 2023 NCAA Championships. Joining the four GNAC teams at the event will be Embry-Riddle and Mercyhurst, which rounded out the six-team field of competitors.

The 2024 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships are set for May 31-June 1 at East Fork/Harsha Lake in Bethel, Ohio.

Western Washington is fresh off its second GNAC Championships team title, as the Vikings won the varsity 8+ race and took third in the varsity 4+ race on Saturday at Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. Western Washington is chasing its ninth NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship title, and first since 2017. The Vikings were ranked No. 2 in the latest Pocock CRCA poll, released on May 15. WWU took fourth place at last year’s NCAA Championships, and is led by coxswain Janisa Cook who helped the Vikings to victory in the varsity 8+ race at the GNAC Championships.

Central Oklahoma, which finished tied for third at last week’s GNAC Championships, enters the national championship race ranked No. 1 in the latest coaches poll. The Bronchos claimed the 2023 GNAC Championships team title, before finishing as the runners-up at the 2023 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships. Senior Faith Brooks is the reigning NCAA Division II Women’s Rowing Athlete of the Year.

Reigning NCAA Division II national champion Cal Poly Humboldt will look to defend its title, as it racked up 30 points at last year’s event with wins in the varsity 8+ grand final and the varsity 4+ grand final. The Lumberjacks finished as the team runner up at last week’s GNAC Championships. The ‘Jacks are led by reigning GNAC Rower of the Year Dana Foley.

Seattle Pacific returns to the national championship regatta, after taking third place at the event in 2023. The Falcons tied with the Bronchos for third place at the 2024 GNAC Championships. Coxswain Aleksia Haugen piloted the Falcons to a victory in the varsity 4+ race on Lake Natoma.