SEATTLE – Seattle Pacific University women's rowing head coach
Caitlin McClain announced the team's 2024 schedule featuring six regattas, three that are close to home, and postseason events in California and Ohio.
The Falcons return to the water after a successful 2023 season. SPU finished the year with an incredible third-place finish at NCAA Nationals. The group earned GNAC Crew of the Week honors three times, was consistently in regional and national polls, and collected 18 postseason awards (academic and athletic).
"The team is hungry coming off of a third place at NCAAs in 2023," McClain said. "
Natalie Korolenko,
Hannah Miller,
Megan Popielak, and
Audrey Rekedal went to NCAA in 2022 and placed sixth. These individuals are not only speed leaders (fast on the erg and the water). They are this year's leadership squad and lead the team in setting the process goals to get there. We are looking to make daily habits around gritty effort, technical focus, active recovery, and self and teammate care a priority in achieving our goals. Their experience, wisdom, and drive will be essential in guiding the 17 underclasswomen who make up most of the team roster."
The Falcons open their season on March 9 at the American Lake Sprints. Pacific Lutheran University hosts the regatta that takes place in Tacoma, Wash. Shortly after, SPU hosts the Falcon Regatta on March 23. It'll be SPU's lone home race of the season. Fellow GNAC members University of Central Oklahoma and Cal Poly Humboldt take on the Falcons on the L.W. Ship Canal.
April begins with the Pioneer/Pilot Invitational. The Falcons travel to Vancouver Lake on April 6 for races hosted by Lewis & Clark and Portland State.
April 13-14 features a cross-country trip for the Falcons. They'll head to Cherry Hill, NJ for the Knecht Cup. The Falcons go out of state again on April 27-28 for the WIRA Championships. The regular season concludes with the Windermere Cup on May 4, where the Falcons take part in the historic event on the Montlake Cut.
"We have an exciting schedule and are looking forward to it," McClain said. "By the end of March, we will have raced all our West region teams. In April we will have two travel races, the Knecht Cup in New Jersey to get important cross-regional matchups in the NCAA boats (V8+ and V4+), and then our whole team races in Sacramento for the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships. We will see Central Oklahoma again at Knecht Cup and Cal Poly and Western at WIRAs, so we'll have a chance to check in on our conference speed before GNACs in May."
The Falcons compete for the conference crown on May 18. It's a trip to Sacramento, Calif., and Lake Notoma for the GNAC Championships. The ultimate goal for the Falcons is another trip to NCAA Nationals. This year, they're in Bethel, Ohio May 31-June 1.
"By the end of the season, we will have seen all of our west region competitors three times, which is great for measuring progress, but can also be tough to stay focused on the long term," McClain added. "It will be important to not get caught up on results, but rather to understand the process and we can keep improving."
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