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This year in Pac-12 men's and women's rowing

Jun 4, 2014
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - The Pac-12 excelled on both the men’s and women’s collegiate circuits, leaving little doubt about its prominence in the sport. Four women’s teams were ranked among the top 10 in the final CRCA/US Rowing Coaches Poll, and two men’s squads occupied the top two spots in the final regular season USRowing Collegiate rankings. 
 
PAC-12 MEN’S ROWING
WASHINGTON continued its dominance of men’s collegiate rowing, capturing its fourth-straight national title by winning three of five grand finals at the IRA National Championships. The championship was the 17th for the Huskies, who have won four titles in a row for the first time in program history. Since 1895, the first year the IRAs were held, only three programs have accomplished the difficult feat. Washington also claimed the Ten Eyck Trophy for an unprecedented eighth-straight season, extending its IRA record. CALIFORNIA, which earned gold medals in the second varsity eight and third varsity eight, also turned in top-three performances in the varsity eight and varsity four races, while the freshman eight rowed to a silver medal finish. The Bears’ 188 points earned them second-place overall, just four shy of the first-place Huskies. STANFORD finished in 13th-place for the second-consecutive year and OREGON STATE came in 18th.
 
Washington successfully defended its Conference title at the Pac-12 Rowing Championships on Lake Natoma, hoisting the team trophy for the fifth year in a row. The Huskies won three of the four men’s races, including the varsity eight. Cal turned in a time of 5:46.4 in the second varsity eight to upend top-seeded Washington while adding second-place performances in the varsity eight, varsity four and the freshman/novice eight races to finish second in the team standings. Oregon State tied its highest overall finish ever, placing third in the team standings after earning third-place finishes in three of the four races on the day. Stanford, which raced to a third-place finish in the varsity eight, placed fourth, followed by WASHINGTON STATE in fifth and COLORADO in sixth.
 
Stanford’s Austin Hack was named the Pac-12 Men’s Rowing Athlete of the Year for the second-consecutive year. He rowed in the Cardinal’s varsity eight crew that placed third at the Pac-12 Championships and first in the C final at the IRA Championships. The senior, who is in his third year in the varsity eight shell, was also named the Pac-12 Men’s Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year. It was the first time since both of the awards’ inception that a rower earned both honors in the same year. Justin Murphy of California was tabbed the Newcomer of the Year after becoming the driving force for the freshmen eight in just his first year with the Bears, in addition to setting the standard on the erg for the team. He is projected to be an integral part of Cal’s varsity eight for the next three years. Washington’s Michael Callahan earned top coaching honors for the fifth year in the row. Callahan, in his seventh year at Washington, led the team to victories in three of the four men’s races and the team title at the Conference regatta. Under Callahan, the Huskies have experienced an unprecedented level of success, winning four-consecutive national titles. They have also won the Ten Eyck Award during each of his seven seasons at the helm.
 
PAC-12 WOMEN’S ROWING 
CALIFORNIA captured the varsity four title for the second time in the last four years at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis en route to a earning second place finish at the NCAA Championships for the second-consecutive year. The Golden Bears, who finished just eight points behind repeat national champion Ohio State in the team standings, has placed among the top three at the NCAA Championships in 10 of the last 11 years. Stanford, fresh off its first Conference championship in program history, finished fourth in the team standings, followed by WASHINGTON in seventh, USC in 10th and UCLA in 12th. WASHINGTON STATE, which placed 11th in the second varsity eight standings, came in 14th.
 
Stanford posted victories in three of four races, including the varsity eight race, at the Pac-12 Championships on Lake Natoma to claim its first-ever league title and earn the league’s automatic NCAA berth. It ended a streak of six-straight Conference championships by the Cardinal’s Bay Area rival California. Washington finished second, led by a second-consecutive gold medal finish by the novice eight and a second-place finish by the varsity eight. Cal finished third at the Conference regatta after third-place finishes in three of four races, while UCLA took fourth with two silver medal finishes on the day. USC, the defending champion in the varsity eight, finished fifth overall, while Washington State came in sixth followed by Oregon State in seventh.
 
Stanford’s Anna Dawson was named the Pac-12 Women’s Rowing Athlete of the Year. A captain and four-year contributor, she helped the Cardinal to their first win over rival California since 2009. She then led the Stanford varsity eight to a gold medal finish at the Pac-12 Championships as the Cardinal captured its first league title in program history. Dawson and Stanford capped the year by placing sixth in the varsity eight grand final at the NCAA Championships. Women’s Newcomer of the Year Lauren Still finished her first full year of rowing at any level for Oregon State. The walk-on quickly worked her way to the varsity eight by the start of the spring season, anchoring a Beavers team that cracked the CRCA top-20 for the first time since 2010 and experienced its strongest season in five years. Cardinal coach Yasmin Farooq earned her second Pac-12 Women’s Coach of the Year honor after guiding Stanford to a first-ever Pac-12 Championship for the program. Farooq, in her eighth year on the Farm, led Stanford to one of its best years in school history, highlighted by an upset of then No.1 ranked California—a feat only accomplished by the Cardinal three times since 1997. She was also honored as the West Region Coach of the Year by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA).