Head Coach John Fuchs

May 20, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - The Western Washington University women's rowing team received official confirmation Tuesday that it will compete for an unprecedented fourth straight title, earning a berth in the seventh annual NCAA Division II National Championships on May 30-June 1 at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, Calif.

The Vikings got the national bid from the NCAA II Women's Rowing Committee as the West Region representative for the fifth straight year and sixth time in seven years. Last year they became the first school in any NCAA division to win three consecutive rowing championships.

The nationals are being held on Lake Natoma, where the Vikings have rowed in three events already this season, and the host is Cal-Berkeley.

"We're all excited and ready to go," said Western coach John Fuchs (10th year). "We love Lake Natoma. The kids know the routine down there and in my opinion it's the best venue in the country."

Western is ranked No.1 nationally in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA II Poll and has received every first-place vote throughout the season.

The Vikings will be one of four schools competing for the team championship - each school being required to row a varsity eight and a varsity four.

Also receiving bids were South Region representative Nova Southeastern, East Region representative Dowling NY and at-large entry UC San Diego from the West Region.

In addition, Mercyhurst PA and Philadelphia PA received at-large berths in the varsity eight competition. Those schools are not eligible for the team title.

"This is an elite field and we're going down there with the same mentality that we always do, that we have to take care of business," Fuchs said. "It has nothing to do with what's gone on in the past."

"I'm predicting that Dowling and UC San Diego will be our major competition. UC San Diego always peaks late in the season and Dowling's been fairly dominant in the east and south this season. So it's similar to the situation that we had last year."

Competition begins Friday, May 30 with two heats of three boats in the eights beginning at 9:30 a.m. PT and 9:45 a.m., followed by one four heat at 10:30 a.m.. Winners in each heat advance to the grand finals Sunday, June 1 (four 9:30 a.m., eight 9:45 a.m.). Losers of the heats compete in repechages Saturday, May 31, (eight 9:30 a.m., four 9:45 a.m.) with the top two placers in the eight and four races advancing to the grand final.

Pairings for the heats are not determined until the teams arrive in Gold River.

Last year, Western won both the eight and four finals at nationals for the third straight time. The Vikings placed third overall in 2004 after being second the previous two years.

In Western's eight will be coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Jr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Staci Reynolds (Sr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.7 Metta Gilbert (Sr., Helena, MT), No.6 Meghan Woodman (Jr., Redmond), No.5 Gina Auriemma (Jr., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.4 Samantha Marikis (Sr., Republic), No.3 Amelia Whitcomb (Sr., Spokane/Ferris), No.2 Audrey Coon (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central) and bow Madeleine Eckmann (So., Winthrop/Liberty Bell).

That boat has won six of nine races this season, its only losses being against Division I competition. The Vikings, who already have won the unofficial NCAA II West Regional and Northwest College Rowing Conference titles, have not lost to a NCAA II school in either eight or four competition since 2005.

"We've got seven kids returning from last year's crew, so there's more experience and they've all been there," said Fuchs. "The coxswain has been through it all, the crew has been through it all, so there's no surprises for them."

Seated in the Vikings' four will be coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (Fr., Bellevue), stroke Katie Tipton (Fr., Snohomish), No.3 Casey Mapes (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.2 Julia Munger (Jr., Palmer, AK/Colony) and bow Hilary Gastwirth (Jr., Issaquah/Liberty).

"The four is fairly inexperienced with Hilary (Gastwirth) the only one there from last year," Fuchs said. "There are three freshmen in the boat, so that should be quite an experience for them."

It is the fourth trip to nationals for Gilbert, Marikis, Reynolds and Whitcomb. Going for the third year is Gastwirth and making their second appearances are Auriemma, Coon, Theodorson and Woodman (alternate in 2006).

The two alternates are Heidi Hoff (Jr., Seattle/Roosevelt) and Heather Kelly (So., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage).

Participating schools receive 12 points for the first-place eight, nine for second, six for third and three for fourth. The victorious four gets eight points, with six points awarded for second, four for third and two for fourth.

This is actually the eighth 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.

In the unofficial West Regional last Saturday, Western won the eight and four races, with UC San Diego second in both. The Vikings' eight was victorious for the fifth straight year, and for the sixth time in seven seasons. Western's four won for the fourth consecutive year.

WWU Lineups:

Varsity 8 - coxswain Kristy Theodorson (Jr., Bothell/Inglemoor), stroke Staci Reynolds (Sr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.7 Metta Gilbert (Sr., Helena, MT), No.6 Meghan Woodman (Jr., Redmond), No.5 Gina Auriemma (Jr., Lake Forest Park/Shorecrest), No.4 Samantha Marikis (Sr., Republic), No.3 Amelia Whitcomb (Sr., Spokane/Ferris), No.2 Audrey Coon (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central), bow Madeleine Eckmann (So., Winthrop/Liberty Bell)

Varsity 4 - coxswain Samantha Oberholzer (Fr., Bellevue), stroke Katie Tipton (Fr., Snohomish), No.3 Casey Mapes (Fr., Anchorage, AK/Service), No.2 Julia Munger (Jr., Palmer, AK/Colony), bow Hilary Gastwirth (Jr., Issaquah/Liberty)

Alternates - Heidi Hoff (Jr., Seattle/Roosevelt), Heather Kelly (So., Bird Creek, AK/South Anchorage)