LAKE NATOMA, Calif. – Gonzaga claimed its fifth straight West Coast Conference Rowing championship Saturday and sixth in the last seven years on Sacramento’s Lake Natoma, after collecting 40 points thanks to wins from the second varsity and varsity eight boats with two top-10 WCC Championship times.
LMU kicked things off with the win in the second varsity four, crossing the line with a time of 7:49.894 then following that up with their first ever win in the varsity four race. The Lions took the varsity four with a program-best time of 7:36.350, besting San Diego by at least six seconds for the second straight race.
The Lions claimed a 7-0 lead after the first two races, but five-time defending champion Gonzaga pulled ahead with a narrow first-place second varsity eight time of 6:48.365. The Bulldogs’ finish was the eighth-fastest time in WCC Championship history, as they beat out LMU and San Diego by .966 and 3.716 seconds, respectively, to win their 16
th overall 2V8 race at the WCC Championships.
LMU and Gonzaga stood neck and neck at 19 points apiece heading into the deciding varsity eight race, but the Zags finished off their five-peat with a 6:31.773 V8 win, the seventh-fastest time in WCC Championship history. It was the 18th
V8 win at the WCC Championships, resulting in the 18th
overall conference title for the Bulldogs.
San Diego and LMU each earned 34 points, but the Toreros laid claim to second place via their second-place finish in the varsity eight while Portland (24 points) rounded out the top four.
Gonzaga swept all four All-WCC awards for the second straight year. Grace Calahane claimed Newcomer of the Year, Alexa Jadallah was named Coxswain of the Year, Lauren English was named Rower of the Year, and Marisa Wortman was tabbed Coach of the Year in her first season in Spokane.
FINAL 2019 WCC CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
| 1. |
Gonzaga |
40 points |
| 2. |
San Diego |
34 points |
| 3. |
LMU |
34 points |
| 4. |
Portland |
24 points |
| 5. |
Saint Mary’s |
17 points |
| 6. |
Creighton |
13 points |
| 7. |
Santa Clara |
5 points |
2019 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN’S ROWING MAJOR AWARDS
| Newcomer of the Year |
Grace Calahane, Gonzaga |
| Coxswain of the Year |
Alexa Jadallah, Gonzaga |
| Rower of the Year |
Lauren English, Gonzaga |
| Coach of the Year |
Marisa Wortman, Gonzaga |
2019 ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN’S ROWING TEAM
| CREIGHTON |
McKinley Wilson, Mary Stanley |
| GONZAGA |
Lauren English, Lindey English, Zoe Calambokidis, Lauren McCallum |
| LMU |
Ellery Martin, Lauren Compeau |
| PORTLAND |
Veronica Nicacio, Lauren Jesse |
| SAINT MARY’S |
Emily Springings, Kelsey Shinn |
| SAN DIEGO |
Kadee Sylla, Clare Adams, Kira McPohlin |
| SANTA CLARA |
Leila Chihab, Mollie Mertes |