April 20, 2005

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Putting added emphasis on team success, Western Washington University is scheduled to compete in 15 races at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference Championships on Saturday (8:15 a.m.) at Lake Stevens.

Also participating are Humboldt State, Lewis and Clark (Ore.), Pacific Lutheran, Puget Sound, Seattle Pacific, and Willamette. All the races will be 2,000 meters.

Heading the Vikings' nine entries in the women's division is the varsity eight, ranked No.1 in the latest USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Poll. That race is scheduled for 8:45 a.m.

Despite placing among the top three at nationals the last three years, including two runner-up finishes, Western has not won the women's varsity eight at the NCRC championships since 2001, finishing second last spring and fourth the previous two years. Puget Sound took the 2004 race, with Pacific Lutheran winning in 2002 and 2003.

"We just haven't had very good luck," said program coordinator and head women's coach John Fuchs. "We got surprised a couple of years ago and last year we just didn't get it quite together, but this year we're ready to go."

"We have a brand new boat, which we will use for the first time. When you put a new boat with a good crew, if you're not faster then there's something wrong."

Seated in the Vikings' eight will be coxswain Krissy Whaley (Sr., Woodinville), stroke Julia Gamache (Jr., Seattle/Blanchet), No.7 Staci Reynolds (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.6 Lindsay Mann-King (So., Colville), No.5 Kailyn McGrath (Jr., Fillmore, CA/Villanova Prep), No.4 Metta Gilbert (Fr., Helena, MT), No.3 Gail Lumsden (Sr., Everett/Mariner), No.2 Amelia Whitcomb (Fr., Spokane/Ferris) and bow Stephanie Parker (So., Marysville, WA/Marysville-Pilchuck).

The Viking women also are competing in the second varsity eight (9 a.m.), third varsity eight (9:15 a.m.), varsity four (10 a.m.), novice eight (10:15), second novice four (1 p.m.), second novice eight (2 p.m.), novice four (2:15 p.m.) and second varsity four (3:15 p.m.) races.

"One of our goals is to win the team title, which is something we haven't focused on the last several years," Fuchs said. "In the past, we've just been getting the varsity eight and varsity four in good position for nationals ... but this year we'll see if we can't take the title from Puget Sound, which has won it the last two or three years."

Western's men are entered in six races. They are the novice eight (9:45 a.m.), varsity four (10:30 a.m.), varsity eight (1:15 p.m.), novice lightweight four (1:30 p.m.), second varsity eight (1:45 p.m.) and second varsity four (3:30 p.m.).

2005 NCRC Championships - Race Schedule

8:15	Women's Nov. Lwt 4+	HSU	UPS
8:30	Men's Nov. 4+	HSU	SPU	WU	UPS	LC	UPSb
8:45	Women's Varsity 8+	PLU	WU	WWU	LC	HSU	UPS
9:00	Women's 2V 8+	WU	HSU	LC	PLU	WWU	UPS
9:15	Women's 3V 8+	WWU	UPS	LC
9:30	Men's Vars. Lwt 4+	PLU	UPS
9:45	Men's Novice 8+	WWU	UPS
10:00	Women's Varsity 4+	PLU	UPS	HSU	WWU	LC	SPU	WU	PLUb
10:15	Women's Novice 8+	WWU	LC	UPS	WU	PLU	HSU
10:30	Men's Varsity 4+	LC	SPU	HSU	UPS	WU	WWU	PLU
10:45	Men's Lwt Nov 8+
11:00	Women's Lwt Nov 8+
11:15	Women's 2-	WU	UPS	SPU	LC	PLU
11:30	Men's 2-	UPS	WU	PLU	SPU	LC	UPSb
 	Break
12:30	Women's Vars. Lwt 4+	UPS	WU	PLU
12:45	Mens 2nd Nov 4+	LC	UPS
13:00	Womens 2nd Nov 4+	PLU	UPS	WWU	HSU	LC
13:15	Men's Varsity 8+	LC	PLU	WU	WWU	HSU	UPS
13:30	Men's Nov. Lwt 4+	UPS	PLU	LC	WWU
13:45	Men's 2V 8+	LC	PLU	UPS	HSU	 WWU
14:00	Women's 2nd Nov 8+	WWU	UPS	HSU	PLU	LC
14:15	Women's Nov. 4+	SPU	LC	PLU	HSU	WU	UPS	WWU	UPSb
14:30	Men's 2nd Nov 8+
14:45	Men's Vars. Lwt 8+
15:00	Women's Vars. Lwt 8+	PLU	WU
15:15	Women's 2V 4+	SPU	PLU	WU	HSU	LC	UPS	WWU	UPSb
15:30	Men's 2V 4+	WWU	LC	SPU	UPS	HSU	WU	UPSb
15:45	Break
16:00	COX'N 4+	WU	LC	WWU	PLU	UPS	HSU	PLUb

Novice 8 - Coxswain Amber Jacobs (Fr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), stroke Blake Herrington (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), No.7 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.6 Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), No.5 David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.4 Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), No.3 Kevin Cumming (So., Woodinville), No.2 Danny Buckley (Fr., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley), bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way)

Men's Varsity 4 - Coxswain Austin Jenkins (Sr., Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), stroke Andy Foltz (Jr., Sumner), No.3 Phil DuBois (Sr., Olympia/Capital), No.2 Nate Pedersen (Jr., Peaks Island, ME/Portland), bow Danny Buckley (Fr., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley)

Varsity 8 - Coxswain Austin Jenkins (Sr., Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), stroke Andy Foltz (Jr., Sumner) No.7 Phil DuBois (Sr., Olympia/Capital), No.6 Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), No.5 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.4 Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), No.3 David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood), No.2 Blake Herrington (Fr., Vancouver/Columbia River), bow Eric Weishaar (Fr., Federal Way)

Novice Lightweight 4 - Coxswain Amber Jacobs (Fr., Port Orchard/South Kitsap), stroke Jack Marolich (Fr., Sammamish/Eastlake), No.3 Chris deVos (Fr., Seattle/Roosevelt), No.2 Erik Kalstad (Fr., Bothell), bow David Hancock (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood)

Second Varsity 8 - Coxswain Brittany Poirson (So., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Nate Pedersen (Jr., Peaks Island, ME/Portland), No.7 Kevin Cumming (So., Woodinville), No.6 Danny Buckley (Fr., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley), No.5 Jason Merrifield (Fr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale), No.4 Paul Hoover (Fr., Tacoma/Decatur), No.3 Jarrod Eckhout (Fr., Fall City, WA/Colorado Timberline Academy), No.2 Chris Ippolito (Fr., Fall City/Mount Si), bow Stephen Carlson (Sr., Suquamish/North Kitsap/Olympic CC)

Second Varsity 4 - Coxswain Brittany Poirson (So., Oberlin, OH/Elyria Catholic), stroke Paul Hoover (Fr., Tacoma/Decatur), No.3 Jarrod Eckhout (Fr., Fall City, WA/Colorado Timberline Academy), No.2 Jason Merrifield (Fr., Lynnwood/Meadowdale), bow Stephen Carlson (Sr., Suquamish/North Kitsap/Olympic CC)