Ephs head to Sacramento in search of 3rd straight NCAA Title

The NCAA Division III Women's Rowing Committee has selected the nine teams that will compete in the 2008 NCAA Division III Women's Rowing Championships.

The championships will be held May 30-June 1 in Sacramento, Calif. The University of California at Berkeley will serve as host. The championships are comprised of seven teams fielding two boats (V1 & V2) of eight rowers and a coxswain. Two at-large eights are also selected, but the two at-large teams only have one boat entered.

This marks the 10th time the Ephs have been invited to the NCAA Rowing Championships for Women.  Williams first appearance in the NCAA Championships came in 1998 when the Ephs qualified a four. Biz Smith, Sarah Thomas, Cynthia Osterling and Jana Comstack along with coxswain Yng-Ru Chen represented the Ephs and finished 5th. From 1999-2001 -- there was only an all-divisions championship and Division III teams were allowed to enter just one varsity eight boat. The Ephs last six NCAA appearances have all come in the NCAA Division III Rowing Championships.

Williams won the first title offered by the NCAA in Division III in 2002 in Indianapolis under current head coach Justin Moore.

Moore and the Ephs also won the NCAA title in 2006 and then while Moore was on sabbatical with the Canadian National Team, interim head coach Pat Tynan led the Ephs to the NCAA title in 2007.

The three titles won by Williams is the most by a Division III team and the Ephs will be bidding to become the first Division III team to win three consecutive NCAA titles when they head to Sacramento.

Moore's Ephs earned their fifth straight trip to the championships by winning their third consecutive NESCAC and the ECAC-National Invitational Regatta Championship by just over six tenths of a second downing NESCAC rival Trinity College this past Sunday.

The Ephs and Trinity have split the two V1 boat races this spring with Trinity edging the Ephs by three tenths of a second in the New England Championships.

Senior Abby Weir rowed in her usual seat #7 in the V1 race, despite having two rib stress fractures. "We decided we would rather win or lose with Abby in the boat," said Moore. "Her strength, stamina and commitment to row three races in 25 hours is beyond measure."

"We also had another great week of practice because of how we responded to last weekend's result at the New England Championships," said Moore. "We have almost the same V1 boat we had last year when they won every race by open water. This team needed to get comfortable with themselves in a tight race and on Sunday they did, and that comfort level was enough to get the win."

Three of the seven teams with two boats entered are NESCAC teams; Williams, Trinity and Bates.

Teams selected for NCAA Division III Rowing Championships for women:

Teams with V1 and V2 boats:
Williams
Puget Sound
Trinity
Ithaca
Bates
St. Lawrence
Williams Smith

At-Large Teams:
Coast Guard Academy
Washington University (MD)