Monday, May 17, 2021

INDIANAPOLIS – After winning the inaugural GNAC Women’s Rowing Championships on Saturday in dominant fashion, Central Oklahoma has been selected for a return trip to the NCAA Championships.

The Bronchos were selected to compete in the 2021 NCAA Division II Women’s Rowing Championships, which take place May 28-30 at Nathan Brenderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. The two-time defending national champions are the No. 1 seed in this year’s championship. The other three competing teams are Embry-Riddle (Fla.), Florida Tech and Mercyhurst.

Central Oklahoma spent all season ranked No. 1 in the Pocock/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association national poll. The Bronchos completed a solid season by sweeping the championships races at the GNAC Championships. The Varsity 8+ blistered Vancouver Lake to win with a time of 6:29.85, bettering second-place Seattle Pacific by 21 seconds. The Varsity 4+ claimed a two-second victory in a time of 7:42.95.

The Broncho’s Varsity 8+ crew lost only once this season, at the Division I-laden Longhorn Invite in April, but bounced back from a third-place finish in prelims to win the B final.

In addition to the program’s two consecutive championships in 2018 and 2019, the UC Varsity 8+ is the three-time defending national champion.

The Division II Championships will begin on Friday, May 28 with the preliminary races. The repechage races will be held on Saturday, May 29 and the national finals will take place on Sunday, May 30 with the Varsity 4+ race at 9:24 a.m. (EDT) and the Varsity 8+ race at 9:48 a.m.