The Falcons Online -- Seattle Pacific University Athletics

Women’s 8 Makes Final Push for NCAAs
Falcons 3rd at WIRA, Seeded 3rd for Saturday’s Regional
May 8, 2007

Short Strokes

It was Seattle Pacific's first WIRA medal in a varsity eight category. A year ago, the Falcons did not qualify for the grand final...Since WIRA, there’s been one change in the lineup, with a new bow oar...By virtue of seeding, the Falcons will be in lane 3...A point system determines the West Region team champion. The first-place eight receives 12 points, the runner-up nine and third-place six. The four winner gets eight points, with second receiving six and third four...The NCAA Championship’s final participants will be announced May 15...Western Washington is looking to earn a fourth straight automatic berth to nationals. The Vikings have been No. 1 in the West throughout the season in both the eight and four....Seattle Pacific was third in the PCRC last year, 22 seconds behind UCSD...Veteran coxswain Megan Giske (Sr., Gig Harbor, Wa.) was named to the all-WIRA second team. Giske had earlier made all-conference for the second year in a row...Although the men’s four had met the entry criteria for the ECAC National Invitational, the crew’s finish at the WIRA prompted Jefferson to forego the trip. SPU had taken third in last year’s national final.

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Berth right. Sure, they’re longshots. But the Seattle Pacific University women’s varsity eight has a shot at making the NCAA Rowing Championships, just the same. The Falcons will make one last run at an at-large berth Saturday (May 12) when they race in the West Regional final as part of the Pacific Coast Championships on Rancho Cordova’s Lake Natoma. The NCAA Championships are May 25-27 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Getting closer. This is Year Two of Seattle Pacific’s new emphasis on eights, and it has made gradual improvement despite the crew’s lack of experience. Coach Keith Jefferson has five novices and three sophomores occupying the seats, and yet they have largely held their own against bigger and more experienced foes. The Falcons need to pull hard and finish with strong time to warrant a berth at nationals. They are seeded third behind defending national champion Western Washington and UC San Diego. Humboldt State completes the four-boat field. However, the real competition for SPU are crews in the East and South regions who are also vying for the second at-large berth.

Racing form. In their eight races to date, the Falcons have gone as fast as 7:10.9 for 2000 meters. That’s a significant improvement over a year ago but stills lags behind the West’s two proven programs, Western and UCSD. The Vikings finished 25 and 29 seconds ahead of the Falcons in their two meetings last month, and UCSD was 19 and 15 seconds faster in their meetings. SPU needs to close that gap considerably to gain favor with the NCAA committee. Currently, the Vikings are the frontrunner for the West Region’s automatic team berth, and the Tritons are contending for the at-large team spot. The three regional champions, the at-large team and the two at-large eights comprise the NCAA field.

WIRA wrap. With a strong second half, Seattle Pacific brought home the bronze in the varsity eight at the Apr. 29 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. UC San Diego handily won the Division II-III/Division Club grand final in 7:02.6, with the Falcons and Long Beach State battling bow-to-bow for second. The 49ers nudged in front over the final 15 strokes to be runners-up in 7:17.2 with SPU next in 7:18.1. All boats encountered a headwind. Seattle Pacific had won its opening heat, beating Pacific Lutheran by over a length. The men’s varsity four, plagued by injuries, finished sixth (7:10.4) in the grand final, which was won by Puget Sound in 6:52.4. They had posted the third-fastest time during the three qualifying heats.

Crew lineup this week Women’s Varsity 8: Stroke-Rachel Savage (So., Encinitas, Ca/San Dieguito), 7-Katie Wolff (Jr., Bridgewater, Vt./Mid Vermont Christian), 6-Amy Burns (So., Palm Springs, Ca./Desert Chapel), 5-Rachel Strand (Sr., Shoreline, Wa./King's), 4-Kay Chikos (Fr., Renton, Wa./Kentridge), 3-Erin Arkin (Fr., Tacoma, Wa./Academy Northwest), 2-Melissa Blevins (Fr., Walla Walla, Wa.), bow?Katie Wilner (So., Everett, Wa./Everett), coxswain-Megan Giske (Sr., Gig Harbor, Wa./Gig Harbor). Alternate– Denise Filley (Fr., Mesa, Az./Dobson)

WIRA results

Women's Varsity 8 Grand Final: 1-UC San Diego 7:02.6, 2-Long Beach State 7:17.2, 3-Seattle Pacific 7:18.1, 4-Pacific Lutheran 7:20.1, 5-Orange Coast 7:29.1, 6-Arizona State 7:30.1, 7-Sonoma State 7:35.1
Qualifying heat : 1-Seattle Pacific 7:10.9, 2-Pacific Lutheran 7:13.9, 3-Orange Coast 7:15.1, 4-Humboldt State 7:18.3, 5-Chapman 7:21.4, 6-Willamette 7:25.8
Men's Varsity 4 Grand Final: 1-Puget Sound 6:52.4, 2-Washington State 6:53.7, 3-Long Beach State 7:01.9, 4-Western Washington 7:05.0, 5-UC Santa Barbara 7:05.4, 6-Seattle Pacific 7:10.4
Qualifying heat: 1-Western Washington 6:58.5, 2-Seattle Pacific 7:00.5, 3-Santa Clara 7:11.9, 4-Sonoma State 7:37.5, 5-Portland 7:56.8

SPU Coaches. Keith Jefferson has steered Seattle Pacific University into uncharted waters in national prominence during his 16-year tenure as head coach. In the past eight years alone, Jefferson’s Falcons have claimed national titles in seven events, medaled in five 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 is in her fifth year as assistant. She was oarsman of the year and an all-region selection as a senior in 2001. Kip Wassink, who stroked a varsity four at Dad Vail in 1999, returns for his second season on the staff.

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