SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The 2026 West Coast Conference Rowing Championship returns to the Sacramento State Aquatic Center at Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. this weekend. The championship event will take place starting Friday, May 15 before finishing the following day on Saturday, May 16. 

Friday's action on the water begins with heats across all classifications, starting with the second varsity four at 8:30 a.m. PT for its two heats. The varsity four heads out for two heats at 9:00 a.m. PT followed by the second varsity eight and its heats at 9:30 a.m. PT. The varsity eight wraps up Friday's heat races with two heats of its own starting at 10:00 a.m. PT.

Saturday’s racing kicks off with the petite finals, comprised of the boats that do not advance to the grand finals through Friday's heat races. The first heat of the day takes off at 8:00 a.m. 

All races on both days will be streamed live on ESPN+. Make sure to check out the West Coast Conference Rowing Championship Central Page for more information on the two-day championship.  

Six full-time West Coast Conference member schools – Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, Santa Clara and Seattle U – and four affiliates in Creighton, Oregon State, Sacramento State and Washington State make up the Conference championship field.

Oregon State will look to defend its crown after winning the 2025 West Coast Conference Rowing Championship at Lake Natoma. The Beavers currently rank No. 19 in the latest CRCA/Pocock Coaches Poll. Oregon State and Washington State dueled against one another at Dexter Reservoir to cap of the regular season. The Beavers won five of six races on the day. OSU also collected two West Coast Conference Crew of the Week honors this season, including one in the final week of competition with the program's varsity eight. 

Gonzaga has won 22 of 28 rowing championships in the league with the last one coming in 2024 at Lake Natoma. The Bulldogs also won the first nine conference championships between 1997 and 2005. Gonzaga last competed at the Windermere Cup against Washington and Seattle U on the Montlake Cut. Highlighting the races on the day included the second varsity four earning a second-place finish with a time of 7:53.809. The Bulldogs picked up one West Coast Conference Crew of the Week recognition this season with their varsity eight on April 14. 

Creighton will compete in its fifteenth West Coast Conference Rowing Championship this week. The Bluejays were last on the water April 30 in a dual against Kansas State. The team's varsity eight earned an impressive win against the Wildcats, winning with a time of 7:16.9. 

Portland will look to build off the great races the team earned last at the two-day Triton Invite on April 11 and 12. The Pilots swept their races on the first day and winning three of six on the weekend. The varsity eight on the first day earned a win with a time of 6:58.0.

Sacramento State, now in its second year competing in the conference for rowing, will look to grow upon the fourth-place finish in last year's championship. The Hornets garnered three West Coast Conference Crew of the Week accolades this season, including two straight for the varsity eight on April 21 and 28 for the final two weeks of the team's season. The Hornets' top boat posted a 3-1 dual record at the Triton Invitational, including the best time of the weekend with a 6:44.30 over 2,000 meters. 

Saint Mary's was last out on the water at the Triton Invitational where the Gaels picked up five victories, which were highlighted by the second varsity eight and four boats earning two victories each. The Gaels earned West Coast Conference Crew of the Week honors on March 17 with their varsity eight boat after finishing first in both races they competed in at the Hornet Invitational.

San Diego's boats were last in the water on May 3 for a regatta against USC. The Toreros picked up a West Coast Conference Crew of the Week recognition on April 7 with their varsity eight after the varsity eight earned a victory against Wisconsin. San Diego holds four conference titles in its history with the last one coming in 2014. 

Santa Clara last competed on April 26 at the WIRAs, earning a second-place finish in the N4 and W2 Grand Finals. The Broncos were also in the water against Seattle U that same weekend, sweeping the Redhawks through three races. Santa Clara's varsity eight earned the victory against Seattle U with a time of 6:42.93. 

Seattle U will compete in its first rowing championship as a conference member this weekend. The Redhawks last competed against Washington and Gonzaga at the Windermere Cup. Prior to the Winderemere Cup, the Redhawks took their varsity eight to race at the Twilight Sprints on Friday evening where they took on Washington and Seattle Pacific. Seattle clocked a 2:03.9 in the sprint for a fourth place finish.

Following the West Coast Conference Rowing Championship, the NCAA Selection Show is set for Tuesday, May 19 at 2 p.m. PT on NCAA.com. The NCAA Championship will take place May 29-31 in Gainesville, Ga. at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.