Going out on top. With a new era about to unfold in rowing at Seattle Pacific University, the Falcons were still champions as the curtain came down on the 2005 season. SPU brought its women’s varsity four national championship trophy back home after the ECAC National Invitational Championships were canceled due to inclement weather in Worcester, Mass., May 7-8.

Scrub-a dub-dub. First came delays, followed by postponements and finally came the cancellation of all races involving Seattle Pacific’s bid to repeat as national champs on Lake Quinsigamond. Strong winds produced rolling whitecaps on the course and after one eight-oared shell was swamped all but a couple categories were scrubbed by regatta organizers.

“The weather was ugly and getting uglier,” said SPU coach Keith Jefferson. “There was a 25 mile-per-hour wind with gusts to 30 and a wind chill of around 30 degrees. After they fished that one crew out of the water people were pretty worried. They made the correct decision in canceling.”

The winds did not subside until early evening, just as the last of the teams was departing.

The long way home. Jefferson had driven a truck and trailer over 3000 miles to transport many West Coast teams’ shells to Worcester.

“There were a lot of disappointed people back there,” he said. “Our ladies are good troopers but it’s going to take awhile to get over this,” he said.

Maintaining tradition, SPU crew members Andi Martineau (Sr., Superior, Mt.), Carley Bollen (Jr., Missoula, Mt./Valley Christian), Alicia Apple (Jr., Sequim, Wa.), Megan Sweeney (Jr., Wilsonville, Or.) and coxswain Megan Giske (Jr., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor) swapped shirts with their counterparts from Bowdoin (Me.). The two teams were the top two seeds in the varsity fours. The Falcons had won the national championship in 2003 and ‘04.

“We feel we could've won this again,” Jefferson said. “Still, we’re bringing the trophy back home with us. We're not giving it up.”

A new emphasis. Jefferson said that the Falcons will steer away from emphasizing women’s fours in 2006. Instead they will race based on the NCAA Championship format of varsity eights and fours. The consequences will be an expanded roster and an alteration of the schedule. The women will no longer venture to national regattas such as the ECAC or Dad Vail, and making the Pacific Coast Championships a staple. The men will continue to concentrate on fours and will aim for Dad Vail. A limited amount of scholarship aid will added to help attract and retain athletes. Seattle Pacific has not concentrated on women’s varsity eights since the mid-Nineties, when the Falcons had some success with lightweight eights, including a fourth-place national finish in 1998. Western Washington, a fellow member of the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference, won the NCAA Division II Championship this season.

Four years and years. Few can argue with the success Jefferson’s fours realized. In the past seven years alone, the women claimed national titles in six events (medaled in two others), region crowns in four and won a total of 13 conference events at the novice, light or varsity levels. This season’s varsity was runner-up in the NCRC and Western Intercollegiate championships.

Applause, applause. Martineau capped her career by receiving the Falcon Award for Excellence for achievement in athletics, academics and leadership. A four-year letterwinner, she graduated with a degree in biology and a 3.42 grade point average. Martineau earned gold medals as a member of national, regional and conference championship varsity fours in 2003 and ‘04, and she rowed in the national novice four champion as a freshman. She was all-conference as a sophomore.

Women’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Carly Bollen; 3–Andi Martineau; 2–Alicia Apple; Bow–Megan Sweeney; Coxswain–Megan Giske
• Novice 4: Stroke–Kimberly Leinstock; 3–Katie Bobson; 2–Carolyn Robbins; Bow–Claire Walter; Coxswain–Megan Giske

Men’s lineups.

• Varsity 4: Stroke–Jeremy Bryant; 3–Jason Mobley; 2–Ben Zupke; Bow–Jon Paul Ramirez; Coxswain–Jeney Wierman
• Varsity pair: Stroke–Jeremy Bryant; bow–Jason Mobley
• Novice 4: Stroke–Ben Zupke; 3–Nate Shockey; 2–Charles Lowenkopf; Bow–Matt Hall; Cox–Jeney Wierman

SPU Coaches. Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 14-year tenure as head coach. In the past six years alone, Jefferson’s Falcons have claimed national titles in seven events, medaled in four others and won regional crowns in 10. 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 n 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 daughter, Emma, and reside in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. Jessica Pennington served as interim head coach in 2003 and returns as an assistant for her fourth 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.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online.. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site at www.gnacsports.com.