2024 NCAA Championships Review

As the 2024 collegiate season draws to its domestic end, we were treated to a fantastic weekend of racing in Cincinnati producing a fair share of both surprise and expected results.

1v Grand Final:

The most important race of the day and this year, the race that ultimately decided the overall winners. Texas and Stanford were both at 126 points going into this race and we knew from previous racing that it was going to be a fight all the way to the line and it sure proved to be. Exploding off the start, all six crews (Texas, Stanford, Washington, Princeton, Brown and Tennessee) were neck and neck into the first 500m, Princeton with a slight lead with the split time 1.31.0. As each boat strided into their base-pace rhythm, Texas and Stanford proved to be that little bit more relaxed and dominant with their leg drive, slowly moving away from the field leading into the 1000m. However, Texas attacked the third 500m to create a confident lead in the second half of the race, getting further and further away from Stanford. Stanford had another crew to worry about as Tennessee was slowly closing the gap. In the last 500m it was Texas who secured the first place finish crossing the finish line with a time of 6:09.9. The race was now between Stanford and Tennessee for second and third. However, Stanford held their position ahead of Tennessee, finishing just 2 seconds behind Texas at 6:11.8 and Tennessee just missing out on a silver medal as they crossed the finish line 0.3 seconds behind Stanford. Princeton came fourth with Brown and Washington coming in fifth and sixth. This race was definitely the highlight of the day as it secured Texas the overall win as they topped the points table at the 2024 D1 NCAA Rowing Championships.

2v Grand Final:

This race consisted of Texas, Stanford, Tennessee, Princeton, Yale and Washington. With Stanford having beaten Texas in the semi-finals, the Stanford girls had much confidence going into this final, knowing that they could secure a win against Texas. All crews blasted off the start with Stanford up ahead in the first 500m with a split time of 1.32.9, Texas trailing just one second behind. Leading into the 1000m mark, Stanford remained in front of the rest of the field, but Texas had closed that margin and were merely 0.1 seconds behind. Neck and neck, Texas slowly edged their bowball ahead, taking the lead going into the last 500m, however, Stanford were not going to give up the gold that easily and fought hard to move ahead of Texas crossing the finish line with a time of 6:18.1, two seconds ahead of Texas. Tennessee came in third with a time of 6:22.8. Washington came fourth with Yale and Princeton, fifth and sixth respectively. 

4v+ Grand Final:

The boats lined at the start line consisted of Texas, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Tennessee and Washington. However, it would be Texas who would dominate this race as they led the rest of the field for the full 2k course. For second and third place, Princeton and Stanford battled it out, Stanford in second place at the halfway mark with Princeton trailing two seconds behind. In the last 500m Texas confidently crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 6:59.5, Princeton having charged through Stanford to come in second at 7:03.7 with Stanford 0.7 seconds behind with a time of 7:04.5. Yale came in fourth, with Tennessee in fifth and Washington sixth. This race set the standard for the rest of the Grand Finals, the drive and determination to cross the finish line first clearly visible from all crews. 

1v Petite Final: 

Petite finals at the NCAA regatta are ever so important as they are still pivotal for the overall team places. In this final, it becomes more about points than trophies — teams in this event will typically be gunning for points that will secure their team’s finish in the top-10. In this race, Penn were up nearly two seconds ahead of the field at the 500 marker, but were quickly moved through by Cal. This B final was a scrap to the line, with Cal only putting their bow ahead by a second to go 6:19.23, to second place (8th overall) Syracuse, and third place (ninth overall) Michigan, who ended a mere .4 behind Syracuse. Behind ‘Cuse were Penn, Ohio State, and Yale. The varsity A and B finals are decided by the smallest of margins, so this final is still decidedly some of the nation’s fastest rowing – as attest by the absolutely blazing times. These athletes will have been full tilt to the line, knowing that every point will matter for their team. 

2v Petite Final: 

Despite a big push from Penn in the first 500, in which they posted the fastest split of a 1:35,  Michigan prevailed throughout the middle 1000 meters of this race which ultimately gave them the seventh overall place in the 2v category, posting a 6:31.32. Following them were Brown, Virginia, and Penn, in a very hot race for 2nd and 3rd in the B final event, finishing in that order and all within two seconds of each other. Ohio State, despite a decent semi, got dropped very early on. However, it was Cal with the worst luck, who ended just .04 behind Ohio, or 12th overall. 

4v+ Petite Final: 

Kicking off the first B final of the day, Michigan ended with a 7:13.91, only a 2.5 second lead to 2nd place (8th overall). Second place was an extremely tight race to the line between Brown, Cal, and Rutgers, who ended in that order, each a second apart. Michigan led from the start all the way, and did not falter in the face of a late push from Brown in the last 500. To round out this final are Penn and Syracuse, who ended a few lengths back from the rest of the pack.

Overall Team Points Trophy:

No tie breaker needed this time, #1 Texas stormed the castle to win the coveted team points – captured 130 points total. After a disappointing result last year, Texas seemed happier than ever after claiming two wins and a second place throughout the morning. It’s a day to be a Longhorn and it’s a day to be Dave O’Neil. As they say in Austin, Hook ‘Em.  Stanford followed Texas by a small margin, being tied for first until the result of the 1v. In the end, they ended with 137, enough to slot them into second. Their 2v win will have positioned them well for this silver team trophy. They will be disappointed with this finish, having claimed the points trophy last year by a decent margin. Stanford might look at the weekend and wonder where they could have made up the three points by which they lost this trophy.

Tennessee have journeyed from rags to riches over the previous year, in a rise like none other, having not even been invited to the NCAAs last year. They impressively ended in a coveted trophy position following their 2v and 1v finishes. Perhaps with this result, they’ll set their sights on the Remenham at Henley, where they are rumoured to be extending their season.

Princeton snagged the last trophy in fourth, having a relatively successful regatta this year. Washington rounded out the top-five. After them, Brown was sixth, Michigan ended seventh, followed by Yale, Cal, and Penn to complete the 2023-24 NCAA Women’s Rowing top-ten. All sights are now set on the international season.

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