NCAA Press Release

SEATTLE (May 15) ­ The Seattle Pacific University women's varsity eight will be making its first trip to the NCAA Division II Rowing Championships, having earned an at-large berth.

The SPU women's varsity eight will be in the field at the 2007 National Rowing Championships for the first time. Team members are: (from left to right, back row) Rachel Strand, Kay Chikos, Keith Jefferson, Melissa Blevins, Jessie Pennington, Denise Filley, Katie Wilner, Erin Arkin. (front row): Rachel Savage, Amy Burns, Meg Giske, Katie Wolff.

The NCAA announced its selections today for the sixth annual championship regatta, to take place May 25-27 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Championships for Divisions I and III will be held in conjunction.

Previously, the Falcons only national participation has been at unofficial national championships, such as the ECAC National Invitational and Dad Vail. The SPU varsity four won ECAC titles in 2000, '01, '03 and '04. The pair and novice four won in 2002 at Dad Vail.

"While I'm not overly surprised, it's still an amazing accomplishment when you consider we have five novices and three second-year rowers," said SPU coach Keith Jefferson. "This is an excellent set of young women, and by going to nationals they have given this program a huge boost for the future."

The crew lineup is 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). Denise Filley (Fr., Mesa, Az./Dobson) and Heather Waggoner (Fr., Sandy, Or./Mount Si) are the alternates.

Seattle Pacific is one of six schools competing in the varsity eight category. Defending champion Western Washington, Dowling (NY) and Nova Southeastern (Fla.) were automatic team qualifiers (varsity eights and fours) from their respective regions, and UC San Diego took the at-large team berth. The other varsity eight at-large berth went to Florida Tech. Neither SPU nor FIT are eligible for the team championship.

This is only the second season that the Falcons have emphasized eights after building a tradition of success in fours.

SPU won three races this season and finished third both at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) and Pacific Coast Championships, the latter behind both Western Washington and UC San Diego.

Competition begins May 25 with two heats of three boats. Winners in each heat advance to the grand finals May 27. Second- and third-place boats compete in repechages May 26 with the top two placers advancing to the grand final.