Tuesday, June 6, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – The postseason accolades continue to roll in for NCAA Division II rowing champion Cal Poly Humboldt with the Lumberjacks’ coaching staff being honored by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA).

Cal Poly Humboldt head coach Matt Weise was named the organization’s Division II West Region Coach of the Year while Weise and assistant coaches Patrick Hyland and Ashley Donnell were selected as the West Region Staff of the Year.

The trio has led a Cal Poly Humboldt that has taken the team from barely able to compete in the GNAC Championships to winning the program’s first Division II title since 2014.

During the 2021 season, the Lumberjacks were unable to compete in any regattas other than the GNAC Championships due to travel restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. When the team reached Dexter Lake for the conference meet, an equipment failure rendered their varsity 4+ unable to compete. The field did not race in the varsity 8+ that season.

Two years later, Weise and his staff had the Lumberjacks back on top of the Division II rowing world. The program won the D2/D3/Club varsity 8+ grand final at the WIRA Championships and also won the varsity 8+ final at the GNAC Championships, where Humboldt lost the team title by one point to Central Oklahoma.

At an NCAA Championships where all four GNAC teams advanced, Cal Poly Humboldt made the most of its first trip to the national championships since 2015. The Lumberjacks did not lose in any of its four races, winning the varsity 4+ grand final by three seconds and the varsity 8+ grand final by four seconds, both over the rival Bronchos.

The program saw Weise named the GNAC Coach of the Year, senior Dana Foley named the conference’s Rower of the Year and sophomore Sonja Scollon selected as the Coxswain of the Year.

The Division II women’s rowing championship was the third for Cal Poly Humboldt. The Lumberjacks also won titles in 2012 and 2014.