The Wesleyan University women's varsity eight, after placing third in the New
England Rowing Championships and fourth in the Avaya Communications
Collegiate Championships, participated in the NCAA Rowing Championships
Gainesville, Ga. It was Wesleyan second consecutive invitation to the NCAAs.
The NCAA invites 10 Division I programs, which field two crews of eight
and one crew of four, while nine additional crews, including a minimum of
four eights total from Division II and III, also receive invitations to the
rowing championships at the varsity eight level. Joining Wesleyan at the
NCAAs from Division III were New England and Avaya Regatta
winner Williams College and Ithaca College. Western Washington U. was
the fourth non-Division I entry, coming from Division II.
Wesleyan composed a 10-1 dual-race record during the spring. At the
NCAAs, Wesleyan competed in three races but did not qualify for the semi-finals,
signifying the top 12 crews. Of the 15 Division I colleges represented at the
varsity eight level, four were from the Ivy League (Brown, Harvard, Princeton
and Yale), four fro the Bog-10 (Iowa, Michigan, Michigan St. and Ohio St.) and
three from the Pac-10 (California, U.S.C. and Washington). Washington captured
the national title, nosing out defending champion Brown.
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