Western Washington Vikings Women's Crew - Western Washington University Official Athletic Site

In transition year, Vikings take fifth consecutive NCAA II National title

Half of Western's winning rowers were freshmen

2009 National Champions!

May 31, 2009

2009 National Championship Gallery

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - Even inexperience couldn't stop the Western Washington University women's rowing team.

Despite half the rowers in their two shells being freshmen, the Vikings claimed their fifth consecutive national title, winning the 2009 NCAA Division II championship Sunday on the Cooper River.

It is the first time that a team in any NCAA rowing division has won five straight titles since the NCAA began a rowing championship in 1997.

"It's crazy," said Western coach John Fuchs (11th year). "They got it done. I mean for them to actually pull it off is pretty amazing. And they did it against other crews that had nearly all upperclassmen. They're just an amazing group."

The Vikings' eight, which completed a perfect season with 10 wins in 10 races, won its 2,000-meter grand final in a time of 6:52.60, over a boat length ahead of second-place Mercyhurst PA (6:57.22). Seattle Pacific was third (7:00.22) and Philadelphia fourth (7:05.70).

"This is the first year that we've been undefeated," Fuchs said. "It was just a very special year."

Varsity Four

Western was second in the fours grand final, edging third-place Mercyhurst by just two seats on the last two strokes. Nova Southeastern FL won that race in 7:53.64. The Vikings were clocked in 7:57.34 and Mercyhurst in 7:57.70.

"The four pulled it off," said Fuchs. "They threw it down and got it done. When they crossed the finish line, I knew that it was going to come down to the eight and that was the best we could have hoped for. They did their job. Everybody did their job this year."

"They just stepped it up. That could have gone either way. To show that kind of tenacity towards the end there ... That was close."

Western took the team title with 18 points, followed by Mercyhurst 13, Nova Southeastern 11 and Philadelphia 8.

The Vikings entered the championship regatta ranked No.2 nationally in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA II Poll, with Mercyhurst No.1. The Lakers had won a national title in 2004.

In the varsity eight race, Mercyhurst held a slight lead over Western for the first 500 meters. But the Vikings, despite rowing at a much lower stroke rate, took the lead during the second 500 meters and gradually pulled away.

"We just don't row high," Fuchs said. "There's just too much room for error. It works for us because the kids get more rhythm, they gain some momentum and they are able to row harder in the last part. I told them that they would probably be down at the 1,000-meter mark, but to just be patient and stick with it and follow the game plan.

"They did exactly what they were supposed to do all year. Every practice, every race, they did not make any mistakes. That's just phenomenal in itself. They went through every practice with intensity, it was almost perfect and they finished perfect."

The Vikings have not lost to a non-Division I school in varsity eight competition since 2004.

Varsity Eight

Seated in Western's eight were coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central), No.6 Jean Piette (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.5 Heather Kelly (Jr., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage), No.4 Katie Woolsey (Fr., North Bend/Mount Si), No.3 Megan Northey (Fr., Brier/King's), No.2 Madeleine Eckmann (Jr., Winthrop/Liberty Bell) and bow Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap).

"This is the happiest moment of my life," said Coon, the team captain. "I'm really, really glad. There was a lot of anticipation, but we executed everything so perfectly, it's like the icing on the cake. It's just perfect. I'm just feeling relieved and super happy."

Seated in the Vikings' four were coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (So., Bellevue), stroke Carson MacPherson-Krutsky (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), No.3 Hilary Gastwirth (Sr., Issaquah/Liberty), No.2 Siri Carlson (So., Tacoma/Franklin Pierce) and bow Hannah Gallagher (Fr., Seattle/Garfield).

It was the fourth national title for Gastwirth, the third for Coon and Theodorson and the second for Eckmann, Kelly (alternate last year), Mapes and Oberholzer.

"Last year, I watched the four seniors with four titles and all the emotion," said Gastwirth. "It's unbelievable. I can't really believe it's over yet."

The three alternates were coxswain Alix Crilly (Fr., Wenatchee), stroke Jordan Uecker (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome/Whatcom CC) and bow Nolan Winger (Fr., Bremerton/Central Kitsap).

Last week, Coon and Theodorson received CRCA All-America recognition, and Coon, Eckmann and Mapes were named CRCA National Scholar-Athletes.

The competition was the last collegiately for three seniors - Coon, Gastwirth and Theodorson.

Counting the alternates, Western had nine freshmen at nationals.

"We had the whole novice eight here," said Fuchs, "and we're not done yet either,"

Western's eight won its qualifying heat Friday to advance to Sunday's grand final.

The four placed third in its qualifying heat, but won a repechage heat Saturday to get to the grand final.

Five-Time National Champions

Prior to nationals, Western's eight and four each had gold medal-winning performances at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. They were also victorious at both the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championships and the unofficial NCAA II West Regional.

This is actually the ninth consecutive trip to nationals for Western. The Vikings competed in the NCAA championship for all divisions in 2001, the varsity eight finishing sixth in its qualifying, repechage and third final races. In 2002, each school raced two eights at nationals.

Besides winning the last five national titles, Western placed third in 2004 after being second in 2002 and 2003.

2009 NCAA Division II Women's Rowing National Championships

Sunday's Results

Grand Final - Eights - 1. Western Washington 6:52.60, 2. Mercyhurst 6:57.22, 3. Seattle Pacific 7:00.22, 4. Philadelphia 7:05.70

Petite Final - Eights - 1. Dowling 7:11.38, 2. Nova Southeastern 7:16.56

Grand Final - Fours - 1. Nova Southeastern 7:53.64, 2. Western Washington 7:57.34, 3. Mercyhurst 7:57.70

Saturday's Results

Repechage Heat - Eights

1. Philadephia 6:49.16, 2. Seattle Pacific 6:50.40, Dowling 6:58.64, Nova Southeastern 7:06.03

Repechage Heat - Fours

1. Western Washington 7:45.45, 2. Mercyhurst 7:49.03, 3. Philadelphia 8:00.10

Friday's Results

Qualifying Heats - Eights

1 - 1. Mercyhurst 7:01.16, 2. Seattle Pacific 7:02.35, 3. Philadelphia 7:13.07

2 - 1. Western Washington 7:01.72, 2. Dowling 7:27.48, 3. Nova Southeastern 7:37.35 Qualifying Heat - Fours

1. Nova Southeastern 8:14.45, 2. Philadelphia 8:17.39. 3. Western Washington 8:22.03, 4. Mercyhurst 8:28.29

WWU Lineups:

Varsity 8 - coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Sr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Casey Mapes (So., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.7 Audrey Coon (Sr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central), No.6 Jean Piette (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.5 Heather Kelly (Jr., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage), No.4 Katie Woolsey (Fr., North Bend/Mount Si), No.3 Megan Northey (Fr., Brier/King's), No.2 Madeleine Eckmann (Jr., Winthrop/Liberty Bell), bow Kate Berni (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap).

Varsity 4 - coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (So., Bellevue), stroke Carson MacPherson-Krutsky (Fr., Seattle/Garfield), No.3 Hilary Gastwirth (Sr., Issaquah/Liberty), No.2 Siri Carlson (So., Tacoma/Franklin Pierce) and bow Hannah Gallagher (Fr., Seattle/Garfield).

Alternates - coxswain Alix Crilly (Fr., Wenatchee), stroke Jordan Uecker (Fr., Bellingham/Sehome/Whatcom CC) and bow Nolan Winger (Fr., Bremerton/Central Kitsap).

Western Washington wins fifth straight DII rowing title

The NCAA News

A freshman-heavy roster didn't interfere with Western Washington's bid for a fifth straight NCAA Division II Women's Rowing team title Sunday at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

The Vikings, who entered the regatta with nine freshmen (including alternates), amassed 18 points to claim the title. Mercyhurst finished second with 13 points, followed by Nova Southeastern with 11 and Philadelphia U. with eight.

Western Washington, ranked second nationally before the championships behind Mercyhurst in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association poll, became the first team in any division to earn five consecutive titles.

Despite falling behind Mercyhurst in the first 500 meters of the Varsity Eights grand final, the Vikings took the lead at the 1,000-meter mark and went on to cross the finish line more than a boat length ahead of the Lakers with a winning time of 6:52.60. The victory finished a perfect season for the Vikings' I Eights crew, which won all 10 of its races during the season.

"They did exactly what they were supposed to do all year," said Western Washington head coach John Fuchs. "Every practice, every race, they did not make any mistakes. That's just phenomenal in itself. They went through every practice with intensity, it was almost perfect and they finished perfect."

Nova Southeastern earned its first event win at the Division II championships after claiming the Varsity Fours grand final. The crew of four freshmen and one senior established nearly a boat-length lead within the first 500 meters of the race and maintained that advantage to finish first with a time of 7:53.64. Western Washington nipped Mercyhurst by less than a second to claim second place with a time of 7.57.34.

Team results

1. Western Washington, 18; 2. Mercyhurst, 13; 3. Nova Southeastern, 11; 4. Philadelphia U., 8.

Fours Grand Final

1. Nova Southeastern [Lauren McElhenny, Claire Kurlychek, Ashley Lofria, Jessica Sutter, Heather Clayton (coxswain)], 7.53.64; 2. Western Washington, 7:57.34; 3. Mercyhurst, 7:57.70.

II Eights Grand Final

1. Western Washington [Casey Mapes, Audrey Coon, Jean Piette, Heather Kelly, Katie Woolsey, Megan Northey, Madeleine Eckmann, Kate Berni, Kristy Theodorson (coxswain)], 6.52.60; 2. Mercyhurst, 6:57.22; 3. Seattle Pacific, 7:00.22; 4. Philadelphia U., 7:05.70.

Eights Petite Final

1. Dowling [Weronika Buszczak, Monika Zdrojewska, Agata Zieleniewska, Paulina Wojciechowska, Alison Landau, Barbara Puszkiewicz, Jessica McKenna, Alexandra Feliciano, Danielle Ohman (coxswain) ], 7:11.38; 2. Nova Southeastern, 7:16.56.

Alaska rowers make history with Vikings

WOMEN'S 8: Western Washington wins 5th straight Division II title.

Anchorage Daily News

Three Alaskans provided power for the juggernaut that is the Western Washington rowing team, capping an undefeated season by winning the women's eight championship and helping the Vikings to the team title at the NCAA Division II rowing championships Sunday.

Audrey Coon of Kenai, Casey Mapes of Anchorage and Heather Kelly of Bird Creek helped the Vikings make history. The team title is Western's fifth in a row and establishes an unprecedented string of success -- at any NCAA level -- since rowing championships were established in 1997.

For Coon, Mapes and Kelly, the women's eight title marked their 10th win in 10 races this season.

For Coon, the senior team captain who last week earned All-America recognition, it marked her third national championship.

"This is the happiest moment of my life," Coon was quoted as saying in a press release from Western Washington. "I'm really, really glad. There was a lot of anticipation, but we executed everything so perfectly, it's like the icing on the cake. It's just perfect. I'm just feeling relieved and super happy."

Coon and her teammates came from behind to beat Mercyhurst of Pennsylvania in Sunday's finals on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J. Mercyhurst led after the first 500 meters of the 2,000-meter race, but the Vikings pulled ahead in the second 500 meters and stayed ahead, winning by a boat length in 6 minutes, 52.6 seconds. Mercyhurst was second in 6:57.22.

"This is the first year that we've been undefeated. It was just a very special year."

Varsity Four

The championship was the second for Mapes, who last week was named to the national scholar-athlete team along with Coon, and Kelly.

Western was second in the fours grand final, edging third-place Mercyhurst by two seats on the last two strokes. Nova Southeastern University (Fla.) won that race in 7:53.64. Western took the team title with 18 points, followed by Mercyhurst with 13.