SEATTLE – For the fifth consecutive season, the Seattle Pacific University women's rowing team has qualified for the NCAA National Championships and will compete for the title on May 29-30 in Gainesville, Ga., at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.
"We're so grateful as a team to have this opportunity, and I'm just really excited for this season to continue," head coach
Kenzie Waltar said. "This team is so special. These seniors are so special. They're strong and resilient. As a first-year head coach, it's an honor to earn the bid and see the work that our athletes have put in be rewarded with a trip to nationals. Caitlin McClain did incredible things, and it's just it's cool to get to carry on that momentum. We get another swing at these schools we've been racing all year long. We're excited to compete against them one more time this season."
2026 has been a successful year for the Falcons. It began in February, when the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association released its preseason poll, with the Falcons selected in fourth place. The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its Preseason Coaches Poll a week later, with the Falcons slotted for a third-place finish by the league's coaches.
The Falcons celebrated
Brittan Dalberg,
Gem Gatmaytan,
Aleksia Haugen,
Emma Jones,
Bella Lisenby,
Amelia Pape,
Lexi Roybal, and
Racquel Wesley before their home race on March 22. SPU welcomed a new boat to its fleet, Ms. Claudia, prior to the Falcon Regatta as well.
The Falcons competed at the NCAA Division II Spring Invite on April 4, where the Varsity 8+ led all Division II finishers with a second-place finish in 7:03.4. A strong performance at the Florida DII Spring Invite earned the V8+ shell the GNAC Crew of the Week award on April 6.
On April 26, the Falcons went bow-to-bow-to-bow with Cal Poly Humboldt and Puget Sound for second place at the WIRA Championships in the V8+ grand final. The final difference between the three shells was just less than two-tenths of a second (0.192, to be precise). Humboldt wound up No. 2 in 6:57.781, UPS was third in 6:57.825, and the Falcons placed fourth in 6:57.973.
The Falcons raced in the iconic Windermere Cup on May 2 and made their first appearance in the twilight springs the night before. The Falcons were invited to compete in the Cascade Cup on May 1, where they took on two crews from the University of Washington and Seattle University. The Varsity 8+ crew finished the sprint race in 1:58.1, earning third place in the race ahead of the RedHawks.
On May 2, the Falcons lined up against the same teams in the V8+. The Falcons were two seconds behind the University of Washington Gold crew for second place 500 meters into the race. Both UW crews would pull away, while the Falcons stayed ahead of the Redhawks to finish third with a time of 7:03.979.
SPU's open 8+ crew raced against Western Washington, the University of Washington, and Pacific Lutheran University. The Falcons finished fourth with a time of 7:43.130.
SPU earned a fourth-place finish at the GNAC Championships last weekend. They missed out on third place by just one point to Central Oklahoma. The V8+ crew had the best performance of the day, earning third place with a time of 7:23.856.
A season's worth of consistent performances led the Falcons to their fifth straight NCAA National Championship appearance. While excelling in the water, the Falcons also placed 14 student-athletes on the GNAC All-Academic team.
The NCAA National Championships take place in Gainesville, Ga., at Lake Lanier Olympic Park on May 29 and 30.
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