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2012 Division III Women’s Rowing Champions Crowned; Division I and II Teams Progress to Finals
May 26, 2012
WEST WINDSOR N.J. – Division III champions were crowned and the Division I and II fields shaped up for the finals after a second day of racing at the 2012 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships on Lake Mercer at Mercer County Park in West Windsor, N.J.
Crossing the finish line ahead of the pack for one last time this weekend, Williams College made winning look easy at the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship. Leading from the start of both their races, Williams’ crews took gold in the first and second eight finals. Their decisive finishes gave the team its seventh consecutive national title. They now lay claim to eight overall titles in the 10-year history of the Division III Women’s Rowing Championships.
“I don’t own claim to the other six consecutive titles, but it has been a privilege to lead this team to its seventh title in a row and eighth overall,” said Williams College Head Women’s Rowing Coach Kate Maloney. “After advancing straight through to the finals, we kept it low key yesterday. I didn’t need to overemphasize the importance of seven wins. After their performance yesterday morning, I just told the girls they would need to find another gear to win their races in the NCAA Division III finals.”
The first and second eight crews from Bates finished in second in their finals to earn second place overall.
In the Division III first eight final, Williams crossed the finish line in 6:31.98 for a decisive victory. Battling back and forth for second place and putting the pressure on the defending champions, William Smith and Bates kept the crowd guessing. Bates secured second in the event with a time of 6:35.14, just 0.80 seconds ahead of third place William Smith. Wellesley, Marietta and Trinity finished the grand final in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.
“Coming down the course, we rowed with confidence that we had the fitness and drive to stay in front of William Smith and Bates as they fought for second,” said senior Abbie Deal. “I love the girls I row with and winning the first varsity eight race and the team title was a fantastic way to end four years at Williams College. I couldn’t ask for more.” 
Williams’ second eight led the entire way down the course and held off boats from Bates, Wellesley and Trinity to take the national title in a time of 6:49.74. Bates came in second in the event, followed by Wellesley and Trinity.
William Smith beat the Marietta crew to take first in the Division III second eight petite final. Coast Guard finished with a boat length of open water over Puget Sound to win the D-III first eight petite final.
In first semifinal of the Division I first eight, Virginia took and held the lead from the start to finish in 6:13.35. From the first heat, California and USC also advanced to the Sunday’s final. Michigan held its lead down the course during the second heat, as Washington and Princeton made alternating moves to take second. Michigan, Princeton and Washington were the eventual top three finishers in the heat and will race again in tomorrow’s first eight final.
Defending national champions Brown failed to make it to Sunday’s finals in any boat after their lone crew to advance to the semifinals finished behind California, Princeton and Virginia. The second eight from Brown took fourth in a very close first semifinal of the Division I second eight. In the second heat, Michigan dominated from the beginning and crossed the finish line in 6:29.7. Crews from Ohio State and UCLA round out the field in tomorrow’s Division I second eight final.
The four from Ohio State breezed through to the final after winning the second semifinal of the Division I fours with a time of 7:05.52. The fours from Virginia and Princeton also qualified from the heat to join the rest of their teams in the hunt for tomorrow’s team title. In the first heat California, Yale and Washington finished in the top three to progress to the next round of races. 
After all the Division I semifinals, California, Princeton and Virginia were the lone schools to advance all three of their crews to the grand finals, giving them a strong advantage for the 2012 Division I Women’s Rowing team title heading into tomorrow’s final day of racing.
In the Division II eights repechage, Mercyhurst, Western Washington and Central Oklahoma kept a tight race through the last 250 meters of the course. Mercyhurst maintained its lead to progress to tomorrow’s final, and Western Washington crossed the line 0.25 seconds later to join them. They will compete against eights from Nova Southeastern and Humboldt State in the final.
From the two-boat D-II fours repechage, Western Washington led the entire race to take a spot in the final from Mercyhurst. Nova Southeastern, Humboldt State and Western Washington complete the field for the Division II fours final.
After Saturday’s repechages, Nova Southeastern, Humboldt State and Western Washington will compete for the overall Division II team title.
Division III Team Standings
1. Williams, 42; 2. Bates, 37; 3. Wellesley, 29; 4. William Smith, 28; 5. Trinity, 21; 6. Marietta, 20.
Division III First Eights Grand Final
1. Williams, 6:31.98; 2. Bates, 6:35.14; 3. William Smith, 6:35.94; 4. Wellesley, 6:41.02; 5. Marietta, 6:44.40; 6. Trinity, 6:53.28.
Division III First Eights Petite Final
1. Coast Guard, 6:50.90; 2. Puget Sound, 7:03.33.
Division III Second Eights Grand Final
1. Williams, 6:49.74; 2. Bates, 6:58.34; 3. Wellesley, 7:01.85; 4. Trinity, 7:04.24.
Division III Second Eights Petite Final
1. William Smith, 7:00.96; 2. Marietta, 7:03.03.
Division I First Eights Semifinals
Semifinal One: 1. Virginia, 6:13.35; 2. Southern Cal, 6:17.48; 3. California, 6:19.04; 4. Harvard, 6:20.94; 5. Stanford, 6:22.67; 6. Cornell, 6:29.58. Semifinal Two: 1. Michigan, 6:15.20; 2. Princeton, 6:17.40; 3. Washington, 6:18.30; 4. UCLA, 6:20.80; 5. Ohio St., 6:22.30; 6. Yale, 6:26.80.
Division I Second Eights Semifinals
Semifinal One: 1. California, 6:30.58; 2. Princeton, 6:32.89; 3. Virginia, 6:33.54; 4. Brown, 6:34.43; 5. Wisconsin, 6:42.35; 6. Southern Cal. 6:44.25. Semifinal Two: 1. Michigan, 6:29.71; 2. Ohio St., 6:33.28; 3. UCLA, 6:35.06; 4. Yale, 6:36.16; 5. Stanford, 6:37.99; 6. Washington, 6:41.46.
Division I Fours Semifinals
Semifinal One: 1. California, 7:09.66; 2. Yale, 7:10.81; 3. Washington, 7:11.25; 4. Harvard, 7:12.16; 5. Notre Dame, 7:21.20; 6. Michigan, 7:31.25. Semifinal Two: 1. Ohio St., 7:05.52; 2. Virginia, 7:10.70; 3. Princeton, 7:12.43; 4. UCLA, 7:14.45; 5. Wisconsin, 7:17.43; 6. Cornell, 7:25.09.
Division II Eights Repechage
1. Mercyhurst, 6:49.38; 2. Western Washington, 6:49.63; 3. Central Oklahoma, 6:50.94; 4. Barry, 7:07.60.
Division II Fours Repechage
1. Western Washington, 7:41.02; 2. Mercyhurst, 7:44.71.
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Monica Worsley, USRowing Communications Intern
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