SEATTLE – Seattle Pacific University rowing head coach Caitlin McClain finalized the 2023 schedule on Monday afternoon, as the schedule features four races in western Washington, trips to New Jersey and California during the regular season, and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships in Oregon.

The Falcons are coming off a season that saw the team take home sixth at NCAA nationals. Macie Leach returns to the team after earning First Team All-American honors from the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. Leach is joined by Kalais Samuelson as returners who earned CRCA Scholar-Athlete as well.

Other standout returners for the Falcons include seniors Jacinta Grandel, and Moxie McCandless, juniors Natalie Korolenko, Hannah Miller, and Megan Popielak, and sophomores Audrey Rekedal and Kristin Grassell. SPU welcomed 15 new rowers to the squad this season. Three of those 15 rowers have experience in the sport.

"Our varsity returners are rowing better than ever and building fitness toward spring racing," head coach Caitlin McClain said. "We also have a solid novice walk-on squad who continue to develop and improve with great strides."

The season starts on March 4. The Falcons travel south to Lakewood, Wash. for the PLU Invite at American Lake. SPU races one more time in March on the 25th. The University of Washington hosts the Husky Open. The team competes in Seattle at the Montlake Cut that day.

The Falcons host their only home meet of the season on April 1. The Falcon Regatta takes place at the L.W. Ship Canal.

"We look forward to seeing Western at our early home races," McClain mentioned. "It will be instrumental in sharpening our skills and speed before traveling to new race courses and competitions."

After their lone home race, the Falcons take two major trips. The first is to Cherry Hill, N.J. for the Knecht Cup. The event takes place on April 15 and 16. Then on April 29 and 30, the Falcons head to Sacramento, Calif. for the WIRA Championships.

"The Knecht Cup on Cooper River will be valuable in assessing our speed against the East Region and at WIRAs we will race the rest of the West region along with D3 and Club programs," McClain said. "WIRAs is also an important part of our schedule as it provides 6-lane progressive racing to our newer rowers and the opportunity to win a championship before we shift to a smaller roster for the GNAC Championships. SPU has won the 2V8+ event in 2019 and 2022 at the most recent WIRAs."

The final regular season meet of the year happens on May 6 in Seattle. It's the Windermere Cup, hosted by UW. It'll be the Falcons' second chance to race on the Montlake Cut.   

The second weekend of May is when the GNAC Championships take place. The Falcons take on Western Washington, Cal Poly Humboldt, and Central Oklahoma for the crown. The race happens at Dexter Lake in Dexter, Ore. on May 13.

The action starts on March 4 at American Lake when the Falcons take part in the PLU Invite.