BETHEL, Ohio – The California women's rowing team captured ninth-place overall with 84 points at the 2024 NCAA Championships Sunday morning at Harsha Lake. The varsity eight won its petite final to take seventh-place overall, while the varsity four came ninth and the second varsity eight finished 12th overall. This is the 25th-straight year that the Golden Bears have posted a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships.
 
"I'm proud of the way the team raced today and throughout the year," Cal head coach Al Acosta said. "It was great to see the first eight have their best race of the year and leave Ohio feeling like we have some momentum. Although we are very disappointed with where we finished as a team, this is a young team with a bright future. Our seventh-place first eight had four sophomores and one freshman in it. Our 2V8+ and V4+ had some excellent moments at this championship, but unfortunately didn't have their best races today. Again, this team has momentum and I'm looking forward to seeing this team and the core of the leadership group come back next year stronger, and more determined to get where we want to go."
 
The varsity four was first out on the water on a rainy morning in Bethel, Ohio. It was a tight race from the beginning, with all six boats in contact through the first 1000 meters. Cal was in the third place-position behind Michigan and Brown at the first 500-meter split, but the Bears pushed into second place through the middle of the race and held the advantage for some time. As they made their way down the course, Cal and Brown were in a battle for second place until the very end. The Bears from Brown just barely edged one second ahead of the Cal Bears as they crossed the finish line. Cal posted a final time of 7:17.558 to take third place in the petite final, good for ninth place overall.
 
Cal's second varsity eight was next up. Michigan pulled out to an early lead, but it was a battle for second place between Cal, Pennsylvania, Brown and Virginia through the first half of the race. The margins were still close as the third 500 meters ensued, but Cal held a slight advantage in the second-place position at the 1500-meter split. The final sprint from the competition field put pressure on the Bears and Cal was unable to defend its position, with Ohio State sneaking up from behind to finish three hundredths of a second quicker than Cal. The Bears came sixth in the heat, good for 12th-place overall, with a final time of 6:36.601.
 
The first varsity eight was the final boat on the course for Cal. The Bears moved quickly off the start but the margins were tight at the first 500-meter check-in. Cal shifted into a new gear as it moved through the second 500 meters and pulled ahead of the pack by about half a length to claim the top position at the 1000-meter split. With 500 meters to go, Syracuse threatened Cal's position as the teams began their final sprints, with the two trading the lead a couple of times as they surged toward the finish line. Cal powered through and clinched the first-place position with a final time of 6:19.238 to put up a strong finish to the Bears' weekend.
 
Results:
V4+ - Petite Final
1. Michigan – 7:13.916
2. Brown – 7:16.342
3. California – 7:17.558
4. Rutgers – 7:18.372
5. Pennsylvania – 7:23.156
6. Syracuse – 7:25.334
 
2V8+ - Petite Final
1. Michigan – 6:31.327
2. Brown – 6:33.107
3. Virginia – 6:34.089
4. Pennsylvania – 6:35.449
5. Ohio State – 6:36.659
6. California – 6:36.601
 
V8+ - Petite Final
1. California – 6:19.238
2. Syracuse – 6:20.384
3. Michigan – 6:20.834
4. Pennsylvania – 6:21.446
5. Ohio State – 6:21.654
6. Yale – 6:26.438
 
Lineups:
V8+
Coxswain – Piper Melnick
Stroke: Minou Bouman
7: Lotta van Westreenen 
6: Julia Hunt-Davis 
5: Antonia Galland 
4: Star Rose Miller
3: Ella Wheeler
2: Fien van Westreenen 
Bow: Amy Furlonger 
 
2V8+
Coxswain – Lily Wieland 
Stroke: Giulia Bosio
7: Sophie Ward 
6: Tabo Stekelenburg 
5: Ella Berger
4: Julia Irmler
3: Lola Crampin
2: Izzy Campbell
Bow: Sammie Henriksen

V4+
Coxswain – Charley Griffiths 
4: Miya Meskis
3: Zoe McKernan
2: Katie McDermott
1: Megan Culbert 
 
Spares – Ella Lewerenz and Francesca Hammerer 
 
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