GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Cal Poly Humboldt Rowing opened competition at the 2026 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships on Friday morning at Lake Lanier Olympic Park with a pair of strong performances, advancing both its Varsity 8+ and Varsity 4+ crews to Friday afternoon's Grand Finals and keeping the Lumberjacks' national title hopes alive.
The Lumberjacks secured automatic qualification to the championship races by finishing among the top two crews in their respective heats.
Humboldt's Varsity 8+ was the first boat on the water, competing in Heat 2. Facing Seattle Pacific and Rollins, the Lumberjacks held second place throughout the 2,000-meter race and crossed the finish line in 6:53.504, earning the second automatic qualifying spot for the Grand Final. Seattle Pacific won the heat in 6:44.764, while Rollins finished third in 7:12.188.
The Varsity 8+ crew featured coxswain Giania Bogacki alongside Lily Storseth, Leah Dunn, Elsie Stevens, River Walkington, Royce Ankel, Dayanara Anaya, Adelaide Toll, and Ellie Walters.
Humboldt then turned in an impressive performance in the Varsity 4+ Heat 2 race. The Lumberjacks led from start to finish, posting the fastest time in the heat at 7:43.087 to claim the victory and secure a spot in the Grand Final. Humboldt held off Thomas Jefferson University, which finished second in 7:46.253, while Rollins placed third in 7:51.635.
The winning Varsity 4+ crew consisted of coxswain Olivia Huynh and rowers Laurel Calhoun, Nadia Weise, Emma Wilson, and Keziah Rutschow.
With both crews advancing, Humboldt will race for national championships Friday afternoon at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.
"I'm proud of both boats for advancing to the Grand Finals this afternoon," said head coach Matt Weise. "The water is fast, and we'll have to continue to execute at a high level against some very talented crews if we want to accomplish our goals. The Varsity 8+ raced well this morning and put themselves in position to advance, but we have some minor adjustments to make before this afternoon's race. I thought the Varsity 4+ was outstanding from start to finish, doing a great job establishing control early and maintaining it throughout the course. We're excited for the opportunity to compete for a national championship later today."
The Lumberjacks' Varsity 8+ will compete against Western Washington, Embry-Riddle, and Seattle Pacific in the Grand Final. Western Washington and Embry-Riddle secured their spots by finishing first and second, respectively, in the opening heat, while Seattle Pacific and Humboldt advanced from Heat 2.
In the Varsity 4+ Grand Final, Humboldt will race against Western Washington, Embry-Riddle, and Thomas Jefferson University. Western Washington and Embry-Riddle earned qualification through Heat 1, while Humboldt and Thomas Jefferson advanced from Heat 2.
Friday Afternoon Grand Final Schedule
Fans can watch all NCAA Championship racing live and free on NCAA.com.
The Lumberjacks enter the afternoon session with an opportunity to capture national titles in both championship events as they continue their pursuit of NCAA Division II rowing excellence on the sport's biggest stage.
