There they go again. They are not quite world travelers since that label must wait another month, but some Seattle Pacific University crews certainly rate as frequent flyers. Three days after returning from the East Coast, the women’s varsity four will board another aircraft and return to Rancho Cordova, Ca., for the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships Saturday (May 15). The women’s junior varsity for will join them as the domestic schedule winds down. Following final exams in June, the varsity four will depart for England and the Henley Women’s Regatta.

Gap filler. This week will serve as a test of the Falcons’ ability to sustain peak performance and emotional levels. The varsity four is coming off a second straight ECAC National Invitational Championship in Worcester, Mass., and Coach Keith Jefferson is essentially using the PCRC as a means to fill a portion of the five-week gap between nationals and Henley. The JV crew is resuming action following a two-week absence of competition. The varsity won the regional championship on Lake Natoma May 2 but the second boat last raced at the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Championships Apr. 24. All men’s competition has ended.

Not since the last century. This will be the Falcons’ first venture to the PCRC since 1999, when the novice light four won. The varsity will be pitted against the likes of California, Stanford, UCLA, Saint Mary’s, Oregon and defending champion San Diego State while the JV will face Div. II fours such as Western Washington, UC San Diego and Humboldt State.

Wizards of the West. In a virtual repeat from a year ago on Mother’s Day, the women’s varsity last week beat its closest competitor by 11 seconds in the ECAC grand final. It was the fourth national title claimed in the women’s four category in five years and the seventh overall in five years. Along with their win in the semifinal, the Falcons have now won eight of nine races this season. Beginning with a surge from the start line, SPU took the lead and continued to build on it. It finished with a sprint, which was tailored more to hitting a projected time than a response from runner-up Tufts. The time of 7 minutes, 31.72 seconds was 25 seconds faster than the Div. I scholarship division winner, Marist (7:56.96). Sarah Zorn (Jr., Mercer Island, Wa./Lahser), Heidi Visser (Jr., Wenatchee, Wa.) and Andi Martineau (Jr., Superior, Mt.) were holdovers from the ‘03 championship crew, and they also won the Dad Vail novice crown in ‘02. It was the second national gold medal for coxswain Joanna Hodgkiss (Tacoma, Wa./Puyallup), who jockeyed the champion light four last year. Completing that varsity lineup is bow seat Carly Bollen (So., Missoula, Mt./Valley Christian).

No, not Dad’s day. Bidding for the first national title in the men’s program, the lightweight four battled hard but finished sixth in a blazing fast grand final at Dad Vail in Philadelphia. That crew began by advancing through the first and semifinal rounds, taking second in each. It had gone 5-0 before the trip back east. The men’s novice four was eliminated at Dad Vail in the semifinal stage, placing third but rowing a solid race.

Women's Results

• Varsity 4 (semifinal): 1- Seattle Pacific 8:01.26, 2-Mount Holyoke 8:06.87, 3-Smith 8:09.17, 4-Mercyhurst 8:13.81, 5-Holy Cross 8:15.39
• Varsity 4 (grand final): 1- Seattle Pacific 7:31.72, 2-Tufts 7:42.98, 3-Orange Coast 7:44.38, 4-Union 7:44.76, 5-Mount Holyoke 7:45.29, 6-Clark 7:47.73

Men's Results

• Lightweight 4 (Grand Final): 1-Seattle Pacific 6:54.6, 2-UC Santa Barbara 6:55.3, 3-
• Novice 4 (semifinal): 1-Jacksonville 6:32.8, 2-Colorado 6:39.2, 3-Seattle Pacific 6:49.1, 4-New York Maritime 6:52.5, 5-Vermont 7:07.8, 6-Mighigan State 7:12.4
• Lightweight 4 (grand final): 1-Fordham 6:45.29, 2-North Carolina 6:47.47, 3-carnegie Mellon 6:53.33, 4-Georgia 7:00.05, 5-Army 7:00.32, 6-Seattle Pacific 7:07.41
• Lightweight 4 (semifinal): 1-Fordham 6:36.1, 2-Seattle Pacific 6:51.5, 3-Central Florida 6:55.1, 4-Merchant Marine 7:00.8, 5-Lowell 7:02.3

Women’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Sarah Zorn; 3–Andi Martineau; 2–Heidi Visser; Bow–Carly Bollen; Coxswain–Joanna Hodgkiss.
• Junior Varsity 4: Stroke–Megan Sweeney; 3–Alicia Apple; 2–Elise Spencer; Bow–Laura Colby; Coxswain–Kristina Richards

Men’s lineups.

• Varsity Light 4: Stroke–Joel Braman; 3–Trevor Winters; 2–David Stalsbroten; Bow–Ryan Suess; Cox–Emily Thomas.
• Novice 4: Stroke–Phil Chase; 3–Jeremy Bryant; 2–Jason Mobley; Bow–Danny Simmons; Coxswain–Emily Fletcher

SPU Coaches. Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 13-year tenure as head coach. In the past five years alone, Jefferson’s Falcons have claimed national titles in six events, medaled in four others and won regional crowns in eight. A past oarsman, alumnus and assistant coach, Jefferson became the fifth head coach at Seattle Pacific University in the fall of 1990. In 2003 he took a leave of absence after being called up to active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. A lieutenant colonel in the reserves, Jefferson was an active member of the Marines from 1983-87. Jefferson succeeded Jim Schultz as coordinator of the program after serving two seasons as an assistant. A graduate of Bothell High School, Jefferson rowed for Seattle Pacific from 1979-83. He was a member of the light four which advanced to the semifinal at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia in 1982. Keith and his wife Lori have a son, Randy, and reside in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. Jessica Pennington served as interim head coach in 2003 and returns as an assistant for her third season. Pennington was oarsman of the year and an all-region selection as a senior in 2001 when she rowed in the national title varsity four.

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