SATURDAY, MARCH 7
PLU Invitational
American Lake / Lakewood, Wash. / 9:00 a.m.
 
SEATTLE – Seattle Pacific begins its 43rd season of intercollegiate women's rowing competition on Saturday, March 7, embarking on a short trip down Interstate 5 to Lakewood, Wash. for the PLU Invitational. A trio of SPU eight-oared crews and two fours will take to the waters of American Lake, some of them racing twice.
 
The regatta starts at 9 a.m. with the women's varsity eight event that involves Northwest rivals SPU and Western Washington along with Puget Sound. The Falcons final competition is for third varsity eights, at 11:35 a.m. SPU crews will participate in seven races overall.
 
Six Northwest colleges will participate. Joining Seattle Pacific are host Pacific Lutheran, Portland, Puget Sound, Seattle University and Western Washington.
 
FALCONS FLEET
Five women's boats will represent Seattle Pacific at the PLU Invitational, a varsity eight, second varsity eight, third varsity eight, varsity four and open four.
 
SPU's top eight-oared boat, ranked No. 4 nationally, will race at 9 a.m. against No. 3-ranked Western Washington and Puget Sound. Two hours later, at 11 a.m., the varsity eight competes versus Portland and Puget Sound.
 
Six rowers from last season's varsity eight that finished fourth at the NCAA Division II Championships are expected to be in that boat Saturday. That group includes Megan Chalfant, Gillian Edgar, Julienne Renne, Shelby Janes, Chloe Remley and Kaitlin Dickinson. Jennifer Hoag moves into the bow after serving as the No. 2 seat in last year's varsity four, and freshman Macie Leach joins the crew.
 
The Falcons varsity four is coxed by sophomore LeeAnn Arrington and comprised of returning rowers Amanda Larsen, Suzanne Stafford, Tamyra Clark-Hoogstrate and Danielle Johnson. None of them were members of the that crew at last year's NCAA Regatta.
 
The varsity four rowers are slated to race versus Western Washington and UPS at 9:10 a.m. and then serve as the stern four for the second varsity in an 11:14 a.m. competition versus Portland and UPS. Junior coxswain Cecilia Krause directs the second varsity crew.
 
The third varsity eight is a novice-laden crew with juniors Anna White and Haley Thompson in the sixth and seventh seats, respectively. That duo will be joined by six first-year rowers and novice coxswain Moxie McCandless.
 
Two races are on the card for the third varsity, beginning with a 9:28 a.m. event against the Puget Sound second varsity and Portland novice boat. Those same three crews race again at 11:35 a.m.
 
The Falcons fifth boat is a hybrid of three varsity rowers and one novice competing as an open four. That crew, directed by novice coxswain Karina Sapozhnikova, races at 9:56 a.m. versus Western Washington and UPS.

JENNIFER  HOAG INTERVIEW

DIRECTIONS TO AMERICAN LAKE
The PLU Invitational venue at American Lake can be accessed from Harry Todd Park. Here are the directions:
• From I-5 either direction take exit 123 Thorne Lane.
• Turn west and proceed on Thorne until it curves to the left (south).
• Immediately turn right (which is still Thorne).
• It will begin to curve left (south) again and will become Woodlawn.
• The park is on your right, proceed to the main parking lot entrance at the break in the chain link fence.
 
THE TEAM
This season's Seattle Pacific roster is comprised of 31 student-athletes. The list is comprised of 19 returning (varsity) student-athletes and 12 newcomers, who are termed "novices" in rowing vernacular. Many of them are true novices, who had no rowing experience prior to joining the SPU squad.
 
The Falcons hail from eight different states with 17 of them calling Washington home. California is represented by six members of the roster and three are from Oregon.  Five states produced one SPU rowing team member; Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
 
ROWERS RANKED
Seattle Pacific's rowing team is ranked No. 4 nationally in the Preseason Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) poll conducted by USRowing and presented by Pocock Racing Shells. The poll projects the quality of each team's combined varsity eight and varsity four crews as those are the two that factor into NCAA Championships qualification.
 
SPU is in pursuit of consecutive NCAA Rowing Championships appearances for the first time since a three-year qualifying run from 2010 through 2011.
 
CRCA Rankings (Feb. 26)
1, Central Oklahoma
2, Florida Tech
3, Western Washington
4, Seattle Pacific
5, UC San Diego
6, Jefferson
7, Humboldt State
8, Barry
 
FALCON FAST FACTS
If the projected boatings hold up, 10 Falcons will make their Olympic-style competitive debut in an SPU shell on Saturday. Six of those 10 participated for the Falcons in the Head of the Lake Regatta on Nov. 3, 2019 … Returning coxswains will direct three SPU entries. Junior Roxy Ruther will steer the varsity eight boat, sophomore LeeAnn Arrington the varsity four and junior Cecilia Krause the second varsity eight. Novice coxswain Moxie McCandless leads the third varsity eight and freshman Karina Sapozhnikova the open four ... All eight rowers return from the Falcons varsity eight that placed fourth at the 2019 NCAA Regatta, but not all of them are currently in that lineup.
 
LAST YEAR - 2019 PLU INVITATIONAL
Seattle Pacific women's crews crossed the finish line first in all six races on March 9 in successful start to the 2019 spring rowing season at the PLU Invitational on American Lake. Seven opposing boats were left in their wake as the Falcons three eight-oared boats each registered a pair of open-water victories. The meet format featured dual racing with a third entry in selected events.
 
Varsity Eight -- The Falcons top boat labored in its first race of the day, eventually pulling away from host Pacific Lutheran to win by just over a boat length. They covered the 2,000-meter course in 7-minutes, 16.3-seconds and the Lutes crossed in 7:21.7. Into much stronger headwinds than the first race, SPU clocked a time of 7:25.3 to defeat Puget Sound by 19 seconds. The Loggers finished in 7:44.1.
 
Second Varsity Eight -- The second varsity eight crew made a pre-planned change of coxswains between races. That yielded the same result -- a convincing victory. Cecilia Krause directed the crew to a 21-second win over Pacific Lutheran in the early session. The Falcons time was 7:36.5 and PLU's was 7:57.5. Roxy Ruther took the helm for the next race and Seattle Pacific crossed the finish line 25 seconds in front of Puget Sound. The Falcons winning time was 7:55.4 and UPS finished in 8:20.9.
 
Third Varsity Eight -- For the first time under Coach Andrew Derrick, the Falcons fielded a third varsity eight boat and that crew also switched coxswains between races, giving two freshman a chance to steer the boat in their respective maiden voyages. LeeAnn Arrington coxed the early race against two other crews. SPU recorded a winning time of 7:36.8 followed by Pacific Lutheran in 7:54.6 and Puget Sound in 9:02.5. The afternoon featured another matchup with UPS, and another victory. Keely Long directed the Falcons to a lopsided victory as they crossed in 8:21.9, well ahead of the Loggers, who finished in 9:14.5.
 
 

COACH DERRICK
Former University of Washington standout Andrew Derrick is in his fourth year as the women's rowing coach at Seattle Pacific. He assumed the helm of the program in October of 2016, returning to Seattle where he was a four-year UW letterman and helped the freshman crew to the 2001 national championship. Derrick rowed in the bow seat for the Huskies' national runner-up varsity eight boats in 2003 and 2004.
 
Derrick has overseen the rapid rise of the SPU rowing program, culminating with an appearance at the NCAA Division II Championships last spring, the Falcons first since 2011. They placed fourth in the final team standings at the national regatta, getting fourth-place finishes from both the varsity eight and varsity four crews.
 
A 2004 graduate with a bachelor's degree in history, Derrick remained at UW to earn his master's in intercollegiate athletic leadership in 2008. He was named a to the All-Pac-10 Team as well as earning all-conference academic honors three years in a row.
 
Derrick, 37, came to SPU after a five-year stint as the head coach at Central Oklahoma. The former UCO assistant was promoted to head coach in 2011 and directed the team to the NCAA Regatta in each of his five seasons. The Bronchos were national team runners-up in 2016 after placing third in 2015. Their varsity eight and varsity four crews each won silver medals at the 2016 NCAA championships.
 
THE SCHEDULE
SPU has seven regattas on its 2020 spring schedule with an eighth requiring qualification, the NCAA Championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee from May 29-31.
 
Highlighting the schedule is a high-level home event, the Falcon Regatta. SPU hosts national powers Central Oklahoma and Western Washington on March 14 at 8:30 a.m.
 
The Falcons return to the prestigious San Diego Crew Classic on April 4-5 and race in Spokane versus NCAA Division I schools Gonzaga and Washington State on April 10.
 
The WIRA Championships are set for April 25-26 in Gold River, Calif. and the Falcons will again row across town at the Windermere Cup, May 2 on the Montlake Cut.
 
The Great Northwest Athletic Conference began sponsoring women's rowing this year and the inaugural GNAC Championships are slated for May 16 in Gold River, Calif.
 
NEXT WEEK
The Falcons host their only home competition of the season, the Falcon Regatta. SPU entertains Central Oklahoma and Western Washington in a four-race card that begins on Saturday, March 14 at 8:30 a.m. on the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The starting line is near Gas Works Park in Lake Union and the finish line is behind Brougham Pavilion on the north side of the SPU campus.
 
Central Oklahoma is the defending national champion while WWU placed third at the 2019 NCAA Regatta and SPU was fourth.
 
NCAA WOMEN'S ROWING
PLU Invitational
Saturday, March 7, 2020
American Lake/Lakewood, Wash.
(all races 2,000 meters, only events with SPU entries listed)
 
9:00 a.m. – Varsity eight (SPU vs. Western Washington & Puget Sound)
9:10 a.m. – Varsity four (SPU vs. Western Washington & Puget Sound)
9:28 a.m. – Third varsity eight (SPU vs. Puget Sound 2V & Portland novice)
9:56 a.m. -- Open four (SPU vs. Western Washington & Puget Sound)
11:00 a.m. – Varsity eight (SPU vs. Portland & Puget Sound)
11:14 a.m. – Second varsity eight (SPU vs. Portland & Puget Sound)
11:35 a.m. – Third varsity eight (SPU vs. Puget Sound & Portland novice)
 
SEATTLE PACIFIC LINEUPS
 
Varsity Eight
cox – Roxy Ruther (Jr./Torrance, CA/homeschool)
stroke – Megan Chalfant (Jr./Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS)
7 – Gillian Edgar (Sr./Seattle, WA/King's HS)
6 – Julienne Renne (Sr./Bellingham, WA/Woodinville HS)
5 – Shelby Janes (Sr./Stanwood, WA/Academy Northwest HS)
4 – Macie Leach (Fr./Chico, CA/Pleasant Valley HS)
3 – Chloe Remley (Sr./San Diego, CA/High Tech HS)
2 – Kaitlin Dickinson (Sr./Monroe, WA/Monroe HS)
bow – Jennifer Hoag (So./Normandy Park, WA/Seattle Christian HS)
 
Varsity Four
cox – LeeAnn Arrington (So./Empire, OK/Empire HS)
stroke – Amanda Larsen (Sr./Eugene, OR/Willamette HS)
3 – Suzanne Stafford (Jr./Clackamas, OR/Clackamas HS)
2 – Tamyra Clark-Hoogstrate (Sr./Shoreline, WA/Shorewood HS)
bow – Danielle Johnson (So./Mill Creek, WA (Jackson HS)
 
Second Varsity Eight
cox – Cecilia Krause (Jr./Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury HS)
stroke – Amanda Larsen (Sr./Eugene, OR/Willamette HS)
7 – Suzanne Stafford (Jr./Clackamas, OR/Clackamas HS)
6 – Danielle Johnson (So./Mill Creek, WA (Jackson HS)
5 – Tamyra Clark-Hoogstrate (Sr./Shoreline, WA/Shorewood HS)
4 – Brooklyn Liberato (Jr./Mount Vernon, WA/Mount Vernon HS)
3 – Lydia Huizenga (Fr./Marin, CA/Redwood HS)
2 – Samantha Kimmel (Jr./Woodinville, WA/Bellevue Christian HS)
bow – Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza (So./Vancouver, WA/Columbia River HS)
 
Third Varsity Eight
cox – Moxie McCandless (Fr./Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque Academy)
stroke – Kalais Samuelson (Fr./Beaverton, OR/Sunset HS)
7 – Katie Honsinger (Fr./Everett, WA/homeschool)
6 – Anna White (Jr./Meridian, ID/Meridian Medical HS)
5 – Haley Thompson (Jr./Tacoma, WA/Science & Math Institute)
4 – Nicole Svoboda (Fr./La Quinta, CA/La Quinta HS)
3 – 1st race: Kendal Tillett (So./Spokane, WA/Rogers HS)
     2nd race: Rachel Hollenbeak (Fr./Battle Ground, WA/Prairie HS)
2 – Jacinta Grandel (Fr./Palmer, AK/Rosary HS)
bow – Inna Nikishina (Fr./Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS)
 
Open Four
cox – Karina Sapozhnikova (Fr./Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS)
stroke – Brooklyn Liberato (Jr./Mount Vernon, WA/Mount Vernon HS)
3 – Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza (So./Vancouver, WA/Columbia River HS)
2 – Lydia Huizenga (Fr./Marin, CA/Redwood HS)
bow – Samantha Kimmel (Jr./Woodinville, WA/Bellevue Christian HS)