Washington State University Athletics
Cougar Rowing Finishes 12th at NCAA Championships
May 29, 2016 | Rowing
GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Washington State University finished 12th as a team with 62 points after the third and final day of competition at the 2016 NCAA Championships held at Lake Natoma under fairly good conditions and sunny skies.
“I'm proud of both the team and our staff for what we accomplished this year,” WSU head coach Jane LaRiviere said. “Our number one goal was to get back to the NCAAs, and our second goal was to beat our seed, we did both. This team showed a lot of resilience all year long. I knew that today's success was possible, but the team made it happen.”
California took home the team championship after winning the varsity four and second varsity eight events and placing second in the varsity eight race. The Golden Bears finished with 129 points, followed by Ohio State in second with 126 points and Virginia in third with 112 points. Stanford (fourth, 107) and Washington (fifth, 106) rounded out the top five. WSU finished two spots ahead of its other Pac-12 opponent, USC, which finished with 55 points. California, Ohio State and Virginia were the only three teams to advance all three boats to the Grand Finals. Ohio State won the varsity eight championship.
The Cougars entered the championships ranked 14th in the country, while the varsity eight was seeded 13th, the second varsity eight 12th and the varsity four 15th.
By placing 12th, the Cougars match their finishes from both 2011 and 2003, in which they also finished 12th as a team. WSU has competed in the last four NCAA Championships and six of the last seven. The Cougars have reached the NCAA Championships as a team nine prior times and once as a varsity eight boat. Its best finish came in 2006 as WSU placed fourth, led by a fourth-place finish from the varsity eight. WSU matched its second-best finish last year, placing eighth at the 2015 NCAA Championships. The Cougars were 14th in both 2014 and 2013, 12th in 2011, 13th in 2010, eighth in 2008, fourth in 2006, ninth in 2004 and 12th in 2003. The varsity eight placed 13th in 2002. The Cougars' best individual boat finish came in 2004 when the second varsity eight took third.
In the Cougars' final race of the day, the second varsity eight (coxswain - Jenna Mangiagli, stroke – Emily Morrow, Isabella Watt, Chloe Rogers, Sarah Steger, Jessi Howe, Katrina Tarrant, Jessica Newson, bow - Lori VerMurlen) battled in the Petite Final for places seventh through 12th against Brown, Yale, Stanford, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Cougars, racing out of lane six, trailed early, as Brown jumped out to the early lead, which it maintained throughout the race. In the final 500 meters, the Cougars overcame Michigan in lane three, finishing fifth in the heat and 11th overall with a time of 6:41.811. WSU picked up 24 points in that race. Brown won with a time of 6:35.550, followed by Yale, Stanford and Wisconsin.
The C Final for the varsity eight crews was delayed due to an equipment issue with one of the boats. After a 24-minute delay, WSU's varsity eight (coxswain – Rebecca Burns, stroke – Emily Thomson, Mihaela-Teodora Berindei, Jordan Watson, Lucie Weissova, Jess Brougham, Morgan Cathrea, Savannah Davison, bow – Kim Coon) took to the water to compete out of lane two against Gonzaga, Yale, Duke, Indiana and Northeastern. Yale jumped out to an early lead out of lane three, followed closely by WSU in second out of lane two. By the 1,000-meter mark WSU had caught up, taking the lead. Gonzaga in lane one made a late charge, but the Cougars maintained their lead, going on to win the heat and finish 13th overall for 30 points with a time of 6:22.990. Gonzaga came in second with a time of 6:24.932, followed by Yale at 6:25.156.
In the first WSU race of the morning, the varsity four crew (coxswain – Ellie Burg, Codi Swenson, Katie Persley, Kortyna Lasaite, Paige Danielson) raced in the C Final against Duke, Syracuse, Navy, USC and Northeastern. Duke jumped out to an early lead, followed by Syracuse as WSU fought against Navy and USC for the third spot. The Cougars just beat out Navy with a time of 7:28.254 to place third in the heat and 15th overall and eight points. Duke won the heat for 13th overall, followed by Syracuse in second and 14th. The Cougars' varsity four also placed 15th at the 2010 NCAA Championships.
2016 NCAA ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lake Natoma – Gold River, Calif.
May 27-29, 2016
Sunday, May 29 – Day Three
Final Standings
1. California, 129
2. Ohio State, 126
3. Virginia, 112
4. Stanford, 107
5. Washington, 106
6. Brown, 102
7. Princeton, 100
8. Texas, 98
9. Wisconsin, 80
10. Michigan, 75
11. Yale, 70
12. Washington State, 62
13. Syracuse, 58
14. Southern California, 55
15. Indiana, 50
16. Gonzaga, 45
17. Duke, 45
18. Northeastern, 35
19. Navy, 21
20. Central Florida, 20
21. Rhode Island, 16
22. Jacksonville, 6
*Tiebreaker based on results place finish in 1 8+
Division I Eights
C Final
13. Washington State, 6:22.990
14. Gonzaga, 6:24.932
15. Yale, 6:25.156
16. Indiana, 6:29.012
17. Northeastern, 6:30.827
18. Duke, 6:31.650
Washington State Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain-Rebecca Burns
stroke-Emily Thomson
7-Mihaela-Teodora Berindei
6-Jordan Watson
5-Lucie Weissova
4-Jess Brougham
3-Morgan Cathrea
2-Jordan Watson
bow-Kim Coon
Division I Second Varsity Eights
Petite Final
7. Brown, 6:35.550
8. Yale, 6:37.008
9. Stanford, 6:39.821
10. Wisconsin, 6:40.722
11. Washington State, 6:41.811
12. Michigan, 6:42.600
Washington State Second Varsity Eight Lineup
coxswain-Jenna Mangiagli
stroke-Emily Morrow
7-Isabella Watt
6-Chloe Rogers
5-Sarah Steger
4-Jessi Howe
3-Katrina Tarrant
2-Jessica Newson
bow-Lori VerMurlen
Division I Varsity Fours
C Final
13. Duke, 7:22.3131
14. Syracuse, 7:25.635
15. Washington State, 7:28.254
16. Navy, 7:28.871
17. USC, 7:38.169
18. Northeastern, 7:39.963
Washington State Varsity Four Lineup
coxswain-Ellie Burg
stroke-Codi Swenson
3-Katie Persley
2-Kotryna Lasaite
bow-Paige Danielson
Players Mentioned
