Thursday, April 20, 2023

BRONCHOS LEAVE GARDEN STATE WITH MEDALS: That first month of racing at home against Division I programs has provided a solid base for Central Oklahoma.

One of two GNAC teams to participate in the Knecht Cup in New Jersey last weekend, the Bronchos came home with gold medals in the varsity 4+ and first-place finishes in three of the program’s four races.

Competing in the regatta’s Club DI/DII varsity 4+ races, Central Oklahoma was dominant. In Saturday’s preliminary heats, the Bronchos were 10-second winners over Seattle Pacific, winning in a time of 8:13.93. In Sunday’s grand final, UCO was a six-second winner over New Hampshire with a time of 8:04.80.

Thanks to the grand final victory, the crew of coxswain Sydney Large and rowers Sam Hutchings, Danielle Holle, Audra Hempfling and Peyton Meiler was selected as the GNAC Crew of the Week.

In the Club DII/DIII varsity 8+ races, Central Oklahoma collected a close preliminaries victory in a time of 7:07.18, three seconds ahead of Seattle Pacific and five seconds clear of defending Division II champion Mercyhurst. In the final, it was Mercyhurst pulling ahead for the half-second victory in a time of 7:00.63. Central Oklahoma was second in 7:01.16.

The performance lifted the Bronchos to the No. 1 spot in the College Rowing Coaches Association/Pocock Division II Coaches poll on Apr. 19. It is the first time in a year that UCO has moved into the No. 1 spot in the poll.

Central Oklahoma began April racing in the FIRA Championships in Florida and came home with a pair of victories. In the varsity 4+ race, the Bronchos posted a 13-second victory over Embry-Riddle (Fla.) in a time of 7:40.14. The varsity 8+ yielded a five-second victory over Embry-Riddle, cruising to a time of 6:48.80.

Central Oklahoma is now in the championship portion of its schedule. The Bronchos will be among three GNAC teams competing at the WIRA Championships on April 29 and 30 on Lake Natoma in Gold River, California.

FALCONS CRUISE AHEAD: Seattle Pacific joined Central Oklahoma at the Knecht Cup and also performed well in the varsity 4+ flights.

The Falcons finished second to the Bronchos in both the Club DI/DII preliminaries and grand final. In the preliminaries, the crew of coxswain Lucy Sandahl and rowers Megan Rouse, Sophie Sandahl, Gem Gatmaytan and Ixchel Watson finished 10 seconds back of UCO in a time of 8:24.59. The crew went on to finish fourth in the grand final with a time of 8:21.65.

In the Club DII/DIII varsity 8+, Seattle Pacific placed second in the preliminaries with a time of 7:10.19 and third in the grand final with a time of 7:08.82.

Seattle Pacific opened the month by hosting the Falcon Regatta and held serve in a number of head-to-head races against Western Washington. The Falcons won all six races, including a seven-second victory in the second session of the varsity 4+ and a nine-second victory in the second session of the varsity 8+.

With the two victories over the Vikings, the Falcons varsity 8+ crew of coxswain Moxie McCandless and rowers Jacinta Grandel, Natalie Korolenko, Macie Leach, Kalais Samuelson, Audrey Rekedal, Anna Boatman, Megan Popielak and Kristin Grassell were named the GNAC Crew of the Week of for the week of Mar. 27-Apr. 2.

Seattle Pacific will be among three GNAC teams competing at the WIRA Championships on April 29 and 30 in Gold River, California. The Falcons are also scheduled to compete in the Windermere Cup in Seattle Pacific on May 6 prior to the GNAC Championships.

VIKINGS MAKING WAVES: If Seattle Pacific’s performance against Western Washington at the Falcon Regatta was a show of the program’s relative strength, the Vikings made their case in head-to-head competition against Cal Poly Humboldt at the Covered Bridge Regatta on Apr. 8 on Dexter Lake.

The Vikings picked up three victories in the regatta, all in the fours. They opened the day with a three-second victory over the Lumberjacks in the varsity 4+ race in a time of 8:11.24. The women’s JV 4+ was a big winner with a time of 8:20.12. The novice 4+ turned in an open-water win over Cal Poly Humboldt, finishing in a time of 8:32.41.

Thanks to the head-to-head win over Cal Poly Humboldt, the varsity 4+ crew of coxswain Janisa Cook and rowers Taylor Wall, Jenna Buckholt, Marie Knipe and Reed Chesnek was named the GNAC Crew of the Week for the week of Apr. 3-9.

The Western Washington varsity 8+ finished a close second to Cal Poly Humboldt at Covered Bridge, finishing in a time of 7:16.04.

Western Washington is the only GNAC squad that will not travel to next weekend’s WIRA Championships. The Vikings will close their regular season by racing in the Opening Day Regatta as part of the Windermere Cup festivities on May 6 in Seattle.

A CUT ABOVE: After its impressive start to the season, Cal Poly Humboldt continues to perform well as it hopes to make gains during the championship season.

The Lumberjacks opened April at home, competing in its own Blue Heron Regatta on Humboldt Bay. The team won both top-flight varsity 8+ races in blustery conditions.

At the Covered Bridge Regatta, the Lumberjacks showed best in the varsity 8+ races. Cal Poly Humboldt was a five-second winner over Western Washington in a time of 7:11.91. It was the Vikings that took the head-to-head races in the fours. The Lumberjacks placed second in the varsity 4+ race in a time of 8:14.26 and second in the novice 4+ in a time of 8:32.80.

The championship season begins for Cal Poly Humboldt on Apr. 29 and 30 with the Lumberjacks taking part in the WIRA Championships on Lake Natoma in Gold River, California.

IN THE POLLS: The GNAC claimed the top three spots in the latest College Rowing Coaches Association/Pocock Division II Coaches Poll, which was released on Apr. 19.

In addition to Central Oklahoma’s No. 1 ranking, Cal Poly Humboldt moved back up to No. 2 while Seattle Pacific picked up two spots, moving to No. 3. Western Washington, which did not row last week, fell two spots to No. 6.

Central Oklahoma also picked up the top spot in the NCAA Division II Women’s Rowing West Region Rankings, also released on Apr. 19. The Bronchos were ranked No. 1 across the board in the team ranking, the varsity 8+ and the varsity 4+.

Seattle Pacific is No. 2 in the team ranking with Cal Poly Humboldt at No. 3 and Western Washington at No. 4. The varsity 8+ rankings saw Cal Poly Humboldt at No. 2 with Seattle Pacific at No. 3 and Western Washington at No. 4. The fours have Seattle Pacific ranked No. 2, followed by Western Washington at No. 3 and Cal Poly Humboldt at No. 4.

GNAC CHAMPIONSHIPS: The 2023 GNAC Women’s Rowing Championships return to Dexter Lake in Dexter, Oregon on Saturday, May 13. Races will begin at 10 a.m. with the exhibition varsity 4+ race, followed by the varsity 4+ championship race at 10:10 a.m. and the varsity 8+ championship race at 10:20 a.m. Western Washington is the defending champion while Central Oklahoma won the inaugural championship regatta in 2021.