Willamette Places Fifth in Women's Varsity 4+ at NCRC Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

LAKE STEVENS, WASH. -- Willamette University placed fifth in the women's varsity 4+ race at the 13th annual Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference (NCRC) Championship Regatta on Saturday, May 4 at Lake Stevens. Humboldt State University won the WV4+ and two other events, but Western Washington University also won three events and claimed the NCRC women's team title.

The Bearcat also rowed in the women's varsity 8+, women's varsity 4+ and men's varsity 4+.

Western Washington scored 94 points to reclaim the women's team title and earn its eighth championship in nine years. Humboldt State, which won the 2012 NCRC women's title, finished second with 79 points.

University of Puget Sound was third in the women's standings with 45 points, followed by Lewis & Clark College in fourth at 34, Pacific Lutheran University in fifth at 20, Seattle Pacific University in sixth at 18 and Willamette in seventh with 10 points.

The NCRC includes four teams from NCAA Division III and three teams from NCAA Division II. Members of the NCRC from NCAA Division III are Willamette, Lewis & Clark, Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound. Members of the NCRC from NCAA Division II Western Washington, Humboldt State and Seattle Pacific.

Humboldt State's winning time in the WV4+ was 7:34.20. Western Washington finished second at 7:40.40, while Lewis & Clark was third in 7:47.40. Puget Sound placed fourth at 7:56.30, Willamette was fifth at 8:04.30, Pacific Lutheran took sixth at 8:15.80 and Seattle Pacific was seventh at 8:40.40.

Competing for Willamette in the women's varsity 4+ were Rachel Robinson (So., Bellevue, WA/Bellevue HS) at coxswain, Kate Pfeiffer (Sr., Redding, CA/University Preparatory School) at stroke, Caroline Cahill (Maplewood, NJ/Lawrenceville School) at 3-seat, Alli Claypool-Conrad (So., Ashland, OR/Ashland HS) at 2-seat and Anna Fredendall (So., Atlanta, GA/Dekalb School of the Arts) at bow.

Willamette placed seventh in the women's varsity 8+ and was sixth in the women's varsity 4+. The Bearcats registered a time 7:31.70 in the WV8+ and completed the W2V4+ in 8:39.60.

Western Washington took first place in the WV8+, as the Vikings earned a time of 6:47.60. Puget Sound was second at 6:57.30 and Humboldt State was third at 7:02.90. In the W2V4+, Western Washington prevailed in 7:40.70, with Humboldt State in second at 7:46.00 and Seattle Pacific in third at 7:47.70.

The WU crew in the women's varsity 8+ included Robinson at coxswain, with Pfeiffer at stroke, Cahill at 7-seat, Fredendall at 6-seat and Kira Egelhofer (So., Anchorage, AL/West Anchorage HS) at 5-seat.

Also rowing in the WV8+ for Willamette were Taylor Cooksy (Fr., Cameron Park, CA/Ponderosa HS) at 4-seat, Meredith Miller (So., Lake Oswego, OR/Seattle Pacific University) at 3-seat, Evann Zuckerman (Fr., Glendale, CA/Hoover HS) at 2-seat and Claypool-Conrad at bow.

The coxswain for the Bearcats in the W2V4+ was Naomi Morgan (Fr., Poulsbo, WA/North Kitsap HS). Miller rowed at stroke, while Cahill was at 3-seat, Claypool-Conrad was at 2-seat and Fredendall was at bow.

In the men's varsity 4+, Willamette placed seventh with a time of 7:49.40. Western Washington won the race in a very close three-team finish. The Vikings placed first in 6:54.50, while Seattle Pacific was second at 6:56.0, and Lewis & Clark was third at 6:56.40.

Michaelin Richards (So., San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo HS) was the coxswain for Willamette's MV4+. Rowers were Dillon Peck (So., Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge HS) at stroke, Karsten Kern (So., Edmonds, WA/Woodway HS) at 3-seat, Connor Winnie (So., Clackamas, OR/Clackamas HS) at 2-seat and Herschel Mapes (Fr., Stayton, OR/Stayton HS) at bow.

Western Washington's club team won the men's team championship with 70 points. Puget Sound took second place with 61 points. Lewis & Clark was third with 40 points.

The NCRC Championship Regatta concluded the 2012-13 season for the Bearcat rowing teams.