• Practice Day Photo Gallery (May 26)
• Heats & Reps Photo Gallery (May 27)

SARASOTA, Fla. – After twice navigating the 2,000-meter course at Nathan Benderson Park you would think the last thing Seattle Pacific rowers would want to be surrounded by, is more water. You would be wrong.

After each outing on a hectic two-race day at the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships, the Falcons could be found crowded inside an 8 x 5-foot inflatable pool to cool down after each outing. The kiddie-pool provided a respite from the humid, 88-degree temperature.

 

A tighter squeeze than even their 60-foot racing shell, the pool was able to accommodate just eight Falcons, with no available space for a coxswain.
 
When competing on the larger body of water, the SPU varsity four concluded a frenetic Friday on a high note. They rallied from more than a boat-length behind to overtake Western Washington and wrest second place away from their Northwest rivals.
 
The runner-up result was vital as it secured the final berth in Saturday morning's grand final for SPU's four-oared crew. That NCAA Division II championship race is slated for Saturday at 8:42 a.m. Pacific Time.
 
Another form of water was then introduced by senior Jennifer Hoag, who joined her varsity eight crewmates by celebrating their varsity four counterparts with a post-race celebration that included a shower dumped over their heads from a bucket.
 
Those varsity eight rowers staged a stellar comeback of their own in a battle for third place with defending national champion Central Oklahoma. SPU surged across the finish line ahead of their conference rivals, however neither notched one of the required top-two places to reach the grand final.
 
They will clash again Saturday at 9:12 a.m. PDT, just the two of them, in a match race for fifth place.
 
"I'm super excited about how the team finished the day in terms of being able to come back to the course only a few hours after racing this morning and getting our selves grounded after the heat," exclaimed second-year SPU coach Caitlin McClain. "To be able to recover, stay focused and then come this afternoon to have two incredibly well-executed races was great."

VIDEO: MOXIE McCANDLESS INTERVIEW

 Varsity Four
SPU's four-oared entry started the day with a runner-up result in the heats on the first day of racing at the national regatta. Only the heat winners advanced directly to the grand final, meaning the Falcons were forced to row in a repechage with a top-two finish necessary.
 
Central Oklahoma and Western Washington moved to the front of the pack immediately in the rep, setting a prolific pace. UCO continued to front the field, going wire-to-wire for an easy open-water victory with a first-place time of 7-minutes, 44.07-seconds.
 
The Falcons trailed WWU by open water at the midway mark, but steadily began reeling in their rivals. They closed within four seats with 750 meters to go and nudged past the Vikings by a deck with 500 meters remaining
 
At the finish, SPU crossed in 7:52.26, holding off a late surge by Western, which finished two seats back in 7:54.63. Jefferson placed third in 8:18.09.
 
"The four was able to just methodically execute the race plan and come through Western in the middle thousand and overtake them to get in the grand final," McClain said. "We're just pleased with where they are today and excited to see what they can do tomorrow."
 
The runner-up result clinched the second grand final appearance ever by a Falcons four. They placed fourth in 2019, the last time the team qualified for nationals.
 
In Saturday's grand final Seattle Pacific will line up alongside Central Oklahoma, Embry-Riddle and Mercyhurst.
 
Friday morning's heat race marked the maiden NCAA voyage for everybody in the boat.
 
The Falcons four, coxed by Moxie McCandless, featured rowers Megan Popielak, Kristin Grassell, Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza and Audrey Rekedal.

VIDEO: VARSITY FOUR REPECHAGE RACE

 Varsity Eight
A third-place showing in the heats relegated the Falcons eight-oared crew to the repechage. They proceeded to produce a gritty performance and claim third place.
 
Embry-Riddle and Western Washington streaked off the starting line in the repechage and were never seriously challenged. They finished one-two to claim the available grand final bids.
 
Western eventually moved into the lead and won going away with a time of 6:48.02. Embry-Riddle's runner-up time was 6:50.61. That provided a near boat-length lead over SPU.
 
After trailing UCO by a few seats for much of the first half of the race, the Falcons drew even at the 1,000-meter mark. The two boats vying for third place battled the rest of the way.
 
The Falcons bow ball crossed the finish line just ahead of Central Oklahoma and the crews were separated by just 0.29 seconds. SPU's third-place time was 6:53.26 and UCO finished fourth in 6:53.65.
 
"The eight went bow-ball-to-bow-ball with UCO and just didn't let off the gas pedal. That was so remarkable," said McClain.
 
Senior coxswain LeeAnn Arrington directed the Falcons varsity eight boat that was propelled by rowers Hoag, Macie Leach, Jacinta Grandel, Natalie Korolenko, Elise Arkills, Kalais Samuelson, Danielle Johnson and Hannah Miller.
 
The morning heat was the first NCAA regatta race for everybody in the SPU boat except Hoag, who rowed with the varsity four at the 2019 championships.

VIDEO: VARSITY EIGHT REPECHAGE RACE

 
NCAA WOMEN'S ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday, May 27, 2022
Nathan Benderson Park / Sarasota, Fla.
(2,000-meter races)
 
DIVISION II WOMEN'S RESULTS
 
HEAT RACES (Friday morning)
(top finisher in each heat advanced to grand final, rest to repechage)
 
Varsity Eights
Heat I -- 1, Mercyhurst, 6:37.14; 2, Central Oklahoma, 6:40.39; 3, Seattle Pacific, 6:44.25.
 
Heat II -- 1, Jefferson, 6:38.67; 2, Western Washington, 6:42.89; 3, Embry-Riddle, 7:13.44.
          SPU lineup: cox-LeeAnn Arrington, stroke-Jennifer Hoag, 7-Macie Leach, 6-Jacinta Grandel, 5-Natalie Korolenko, 4- Elise Arkills, 3-Kalais Samuelson, 2-Danielle Johnson, bow-Hannah Miller.
 
 
Varsity Fours
Heat I -- 1, Embry-Riddle, 7:37.27; 2, Seattle Pacific, 7:52.78; 3, Jefferson, 8:11.29.
 
Heat II -- 1, Mercyhurst, 7:32.22; 2, Central Oklahoma, 7:34.87; 3, Western Washington, 8:06.40.
          SPU lineup:  cox–Moxie McCandless, stroke-Megan Popielak, 3-Kristin Grassell, 2-Avalon Tarbet-Mendoza, bow-Audrey Rekedal.
 
 
REPECHAGE RACES (Friday afternoon)
(top two finishers in each race advance to grand final, rest to petite final)
 
Varsity Eights
1, Western Washington, 6:48.02; 2, Embry-Riddle, 6:50.61; 3, Seattle Pacific, 6:53.26; 4, Central Oklahoma, 6:53.65.
 
Varsity Fours
1, Central Oklahoma, 7:44.07; 2, Seattle Pacific, 7:52.26; 3, Western Washington, 7:54.63; 4, Jefferson, 8:18.09.
 
 
SATURDAY, MAY 28 DIVISION II FINALS SCHEDULE
8:32 a.m. PDT -- Varsity four petite final
       Jefferson, Western Washington
 
8:42 a.m. PDT -- Varsity fours grand final
       Central Oklahoma, Embry-Riddle, Mercyhurst, Seattle Pacific
 
9:12 a.m. PDT -- Varsity eights petite final
       Central Oklahoma, Seattle Pacific
 
9:22 a.m. PDT -- Varsity eights grand final
        Embry-Riddle, Jefferson, Mercyhurst, Western Washington