West Windsor Township, N.J. – Cal Poly Humboldt Rowing turned in an impressive performance Friday at the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships, winning both their Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ heats to automatically qualify for Saturday's Grand Finals.
In the Division II Eight Heat 2, the Lumberjacks' Varsity 8+ crew, coxed by Sonja Scollon, edged out Embry-Riddle in a tight battle. Humboldt crossed the line in 6:59.241, holding off a late charge from Embry-Riddle, who finished just 1.172 seconds behind. Jefferson placed third.
Meanwhile, the Varsity 4+ boat led by Emily Daniels controlled Heat 1 from start to finish, posting a time of 7:43.210 and defeating Western Washington by nearly 12 seconds. Seattle Pacific placed third in the heat.
"Both crews did a great job of executing their race plans, staying internal, and being process oriented," said head coach Matt Weise. "I am looking forward to seeing what they will do in the finals."
Joining Humboldt in Saturday's Grand Finals are Western Washington, who claimed the other V8 heat with a time of 6:58.542, and Central Oklahoma, who won the second V4 heat in 7:41.368. After Friday's afternoon racing, four boats from each event now prepare for a high-stakes showdown for the national title.
Grand Final Lineups – Saturday, May 31
Division II Varsity 4+ Grand Final
Event #40 – 11:12 a.m. ET
Division II Varsity 8+ Grand Final
Event #44 – 12:00 p.m. ET
Qualifying Recap:
Division II Varsity 8+ Heat 2 (Event #6)
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Cal Poly Humboldt – 6:59.241
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Embry-Riddle – 7:00.413 (+1.172)
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Jefferson – 7:24.466 (+25.225)
Division II Varsity 4+ Heat 1 (Event #7)
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Cal Poly Humboldt – 7:43.210
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Western Washington – 7:54.909 (+11.699)
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Seattle Pacific – 8:02.345 (+19.135)
With both boats seeded in favorable center lanes, Humboldt is well-positioned to compete for the program's fourth national title.
Live coverage and full race results are available via NCAA.com.
