Rowing makes history, places second at NCAA Championships

Sunday, June 2

Indianapolis, IN

ALL DAY

University of Texas

NCAA Championship (Finals)

Rowing makes history, places second at NCAA Championships

06.02.2019 | Rowing

The Longhorns record the best team finish in school history, lands third straight top-four showing.

FINAL RESULTS | TEAM STANDINGS

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — On Sunday morning at the 2019 NCAA Championships in Eagle Creek Park, Texas rowing made history, placing all three boats on the podium and finishing second overall in team points with 125. The result marks the first time that all Texas boats have finished in the top three. The team finish marks Texas' third consecutive year of besting its previous record in NCAA Championship finishes.

"Today was a great day for our program," iterated head coach Dave O'Neill. "We've worked really hard all year, and it was wonderful to see each boat on the podium. The seniors on this team were our first recruiting class, and they've taken the team on an amazing journey. I'm truly grateful for everything they've given."

The Washington Huskies secured the 2019 national title with 132 points, sweeping and breaking time records in all three races for the second time in NCAA Rowing history. Michigan took third place with 119 points, and Stanford and Ohio State rounded out the top five, with 116 and 105 points, respectively.

With the threat of wind affecting lane fairness, regatta officials altered Sunday's race schedule. The first eights raced at 8:00 a.m. CT to avoid the brute of the gusts and ensure choice racing.

"We kept the plan really simple for the day and focused on the basics of our program," said O'Neill. "Right and pressure filled races like we had today required a ton of character, and that really showed in each boat."

The first eight went on to place third in the six-boat grand final, good for the top finish ever by a Longhorns boat at an NCAA Championship. The Division I first eight grand final race was a neck-and-neck thriller, with all six teams finishing in a slim four-second window. The Longhorns narrowly missed first by .687 seconds, conceding to Washington.

"That first eight race was probably the tightest I've seen at this championship, and I've been to quite a few now," stated O'Neill. "Three lead changes and really close finishes. Of course, we were looking for the win, but credit to Washington. They deserved to victory, and I'm cannot be more proud of what we've accomplished at Texas."

The second eight grand final race did not disappoint, as Texas crossed the line at 6:12.328, just over a second behind Washington. The Longhorns were able to overtake Michigan within the last 500 meters of the race, and the Wolverines finished third. This was the boat's third trip to the grand final race in the last four seasons.

The Horns' Four boat shattered its previous program-best finish from a year ago and placed third overall at 6:56.987. Washington clinched the NCAA team title with the win in 6:52.451 and Stanford settled for second at 6:55.642.

At the 2018 NCAA Championships, the Longhorns eclipsed their then program-best fourth-place team showing from 2017 and raised the bar even higher, as Texas secured another team trophy and placed third in the final team standings with 115 points. California claimed the team title with 130 points while Washington placed second with 128 points.

QUOTES:

Senior Kendall Chapman

On the journey of Texas' growth: "Well, it's a really long one. Being a senior, especially on this team, and following this team from the very beginning when we came in as freshmen, not really knowing how well we were going to do, but knowing we had a good crew behind us in our coaching staff as well as great teammates, and seeing how far we could push ourselves to get that goal. In reaching every year for the top held us accountable.

On the team's internal drive: "My freshman year I raced at NCAA's in the second eight and then the past two years, my sophomore and junior years, I didn't race at NCAA's. The team just keeps getting tougher and tougher. We really are driving each other and there is a lot of competition within the team, amongst the boats. I think something that really has been helpful through that journey on Texas is that we push each other up through that. Knowing how hard it's going to be, knowing how competitive it is, using that whole force behind you and bringing each other up instead of bringing each other down helps us get to where we are."

Senior Fanny Bon

On the journey of Texas' growth: "(The senior class) took a chance on Texas by coming here. We trusted the coaching staff in the sense that we believed in a program that would become a legacy instead of becoming a part of an already existing legacy. I think that because we knew that we had to start from zero in order to get there, we always have been able to push ourselves further and further because we've always known that we don't have anything to lose. You have to stay humble and hungry the whole way through. I think we've never gotten complacent as a team and that's why we've been able to push ourselves so hard."

On the team's internal drive: "It's a team effort together, rather than a really competitive hierarchal team where everyone is elbowing for a spot in the first eight. I think there's always been a huge emphasis on our team about being a 'Texas Teammate' and that is the number one value that our team has. We need to do this as a team and that's where our strength is because we know we don't have the fastest erg (times) in the country, we know we don't have the top recruits in the country, but we do know we can be the best team in the country and that's what we try to push for every day."

RESULTS:

I Eight: 1. Washington 6:07.284, 2. TEXAS 6:07.971, 3. Michigan 6:08.659, 4. Stanford 6:09.344, 5. California 6:10.515, 6. Ohio State 6:11.042

II Eight: 1. Washington 6:11.262, 2. TEXAS 6:12.328, 3. Michigan 6:15.063, 4. Stanford 6:16.937, 5. Ohio State 6:20.449, 6. Virginia 6:26.567

Four: 1. Washington 6:52.451, 2. Stanford 6:55.642, 3. TEXAS 6:56.987, 4. Michigan 6:57.915, 5. Ohio State 6:59.256, 6. California 7:00.072

LINEUPS:

I Eight: (C) Ashley Jacobs, (S) Ljiljana Josic, (7) Milica Slijepcevic, (6) Fanny Bon, (5) Aspa Christodoulidis, (4) Alexandra Watson, (3) Francesca Raggi, (2) Maria Valencia, (B) Kaitlin Knifton