May 31, 2009

NCAA Championships Complete Results | May 31 Results Only

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - California took second place in the final team standings in the NCAA Women's Division I Rowing Championships on Sunday at Cooper River Park. The Golden Bears compiled 85 points after placing third in the varsity 8+ grand final, second in the second varsity 8+ grand final and fourth in the varsity 4+ grand final. Stanford won the national team championship with 88 points, with Yale third (85). Cal finished ahead of Yale by virtue of a better varsity 8+ grand final finish; Yale's varsity 8+ was fourth, more than two seconds behind Cal.

This marks Cal's seventh top-four finish in the last 11 years and the first time Cal has finished second in the national regatta.

"I just told everyone that I think this was the fastest team we've ever had," Cal head coach Dave O'Neill said. "All the crews went faster in every way, and it just shows how much faster everyone is going. It was a lot of work for everyone to make this team what it was, and I'm very, very proud of everyone."

In the first Division I grand final of the morning, for the varsity 4+ boats, Cal finished fourth in a time of 7:32.01, edging fifth-place Stanford (7:32.29). Clemson won the varsity 4+ title (7:26.78), Wisconsin was second (7:28.54) and Yale was third (7:30.81).

"The four did a great job to get us some points," O'Neill said. "They were in sixth at 1000 meters and really worked hard to finish ahead of Virginia and Stanford."

The Bears' second varsity 8+ led its grand final for the first 1000 meters, when Stanford was second and Yale was third. But everything changed over the next 500 meters, and Yale led, Cal was second and Stanford was third at the 1500-meter mark. The boats finished that way, with Yale winning in 6:29.04, Cal claiming second in 6:29.58 and Stanford taking third in 6:31.88.

Cal finished second for the fifth time in the last six years in the second varsity 8+ grand final.

"The second varsity went after it really hard and just barely missed out on the win," O'Neill said. "I'm very proud of that effort, especially after a sub-par race yesterday."

The Cal varsity 8+ raced to a time of 6:14.76 in its grand final, finishing behind winner Stanford (6:11.95) and second-place Virginia (6:12.32). Cal was third much of the way, though it briefly dropped to sixth place. The Cardinal and Cavaliers spent most of the grand final 1-2. Yale posted a time of 6:17.22 in fourth.

"It came down to the V8+, and we kind of expected that," O'Neill said. "We were in a position to win it all, but came up a little short. I give that crew a ton of credit; they were in sixth at the halfway point and fought back into it. I'm really happy for our crew. They've been hot and cold the last few weeks, and they came together when it mattered most."

NCAA Women's Division I Rowing Championships

Final Team Standings

School	         Points

1. Stanford 88 2. California 85* 3. Yale 85 4. Virginia 78 5. Brown 71 6. Michigan State 54 7. Washington 50 8. Ohio State 49 9. Michigan 48 10. Princeton 46** 11. USC 46 12. Clemson 43 13. Wisconsin 26 14. Harvard 21 15. Oregon State 14 16. Dartmouth 12 * Cal wins tiebreaker (better V8+ finish) to edge Yale
** Princeton wins tiebreaker (better V8+ finish) to edge USC

May 31 Results

Varsity 8+ Grand Final

1. Stanford 6:11.95. 2. Virginia 6:12.32. 3. California 6:14.76. 4. Yale 6:17.22. 5. Brown 6:18.13. 6. Princeton 6:24.02.

Cal: Cox: Katy Milton, stroke: Iva Obradovic, 7: Lauren Nowinski, 6: Elena Humphreys, 5: Taryn O'Connell, 4: Nora Franzen, 3: Kristina Löfman, 2: Mary Jeghers, bow: Lou Kinder.

Second Varsity 8+ Semifinal Grand Final
1. Yale 6:29.04. 2. California 6:29.58. 3. Stanford 6:31.88. 4. Brown 6:32.93. 5. Washington 6:34.28. 6. Virginia 6:37.17.

Cal: Cox: Katie Luke, stroke: Adrienne Keller, 7: Bridget Moran, 6: Kaiti Seders, 5: Kirsten Campbell, 4: Elise Etem, 3: Shay Seager, 2: Laurel Kuhn, bow: Melissa Herman.

Varsity 4+ Grand Final
1. Clemson 7:26.78. 2. Wisconsin 7:28.54. 3. Yale 7:30.81. 4. California 7:32.01. 5. Stanford 7:32.29. 6. Virginia 7:34.26.

Cal: Cox: Jill Costello, stroke: Sam Sartor, 3: Kelsey Bates, 2: Katie Caves, bow: Vanna Rocchi.