Michigan Finishes Seventh at NCAA Championships

Sunday, June 2

Bethel, Ohio

8:48 AM

Michigan

NCAA Championship

(Michigan Photography)

6/2/2024 10:37:00 AM | Rowing

Photo Gallery

By: Chad Shepard

Site: Bethel, Ohio (Harsha Lake)
Event: NCAA Championships (Day 3 of 3)
First Varsity Eight Finish: 3rd of 6; 9th overall (6:20.834)
U-M Result: 7th Place of 22 Teams (90 points)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed

BETHEL, Ohio -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan rowing program closed the 2024 NCAA Championships on a high note, winning Petite Finals races in the first varsity four and second varsity eight events to leverage a seventh-place team finish. It was a fitting end to the season and the weekend on Harsha Lake at East Fork State Park for the Maize and Blue, who raced well throughout the championship regatta.

Totaling 90 points as a team, the Wolverines earned the program's best score and finish since 2021 and the team's ninth top-10 placing in the last 10 seasons. U-M dominated its two Petite Final wins, with wire-to-wire victories during a fast and competitive day of racing. Both the 1V4 and 2V8 boats claimed seventh place in the country overall, with the 1V8 finishing ninth, meaning both varsity eights outperformed their seeds entering the weekend.

Temperatures were in the low 60s as a light morning rain slowed before the start of Petite and Grand Finals. The starting time of races was moved up for the second time in three days, but waters were calm and conditions fair, especially considering the weather.

Racing out of the sixth lane in the varsity four event next to California, the Wolverines pushed out to a lead in the first 500 meters. Cal followed with Brown and Syracuse making up the third and fourth chase positions. The Wolverines had nearly a full-length lead on Cal by 750 meters and held a lead of more than three seconds as the boats approached the third 500.

Brown moved into California and Rutgers had contact with both boats as the Wolverines continued their push, threatening to put open water on the field. As the race approached the final stretch, the Wolverines maintained a multi-seat lead, but Brown began to move with urgency. The Bears' sprint did not affect the smooth stroke of the Wolverines, who closed out their impressive performance with a win of 2.426 seconds on Brown, with California in third.

In the second varsity eight, Michigan was in lane five between California on the outside and Ohio State on the inside. Off the start, U-M took the lead by a couple of seats on California and Brown but it was tight racing throughout the field. Past 500 meters, U-M led on Pennsylvania with Virginia in third and Brown behind the Cavs by just a seat or two, but by the race's halfway point, it was nearly four bow balls even across.

Into the third 500, Brown had worked its way into second place and pushed into the Wolverines' lead, which was cut to a seat or two. The Wolverines countered successfully, improving their strong lead position while Virginia began to push and tried to draw even with Brown. Michigan elevated its rate after crossing into the red buoys and Brown's final sprint was not enough to catch the lead the Wolverines had reinforced in the third 500. U-M crossed as winners in 6:31.327, with Brown a half-length behind at 6:33.107.

In the first varsity eight race, U-M lined up in lane five next to California. The Golden Bears and Yale started as the leaders with Ohio State and the Wolverines among those giving chase. Past 500 meters the race was six boats wide in another tight field.

Pennsylvania, Syracuse and California began to emerge near the 1,000-meter mark with the Golden Bears leading from the outside lane. Penn faded in the third 500 and the Wolverines moved through them, challenging Syracuse for second place. Syracuse made a move to push past California and took the lead the first time in the race, but the margin for places one through four remained tight and U-M was down just a half-length to the two lead boats.

Across the final 400 meters, Michigan increased its stroke rate and started to take seats from Cal. But as the Orange surged into first, California found enough in the tank to counter one final time at the finish line, launching ahead for the win with Syracuse in second and U-M in third by just inches -- 1.596 seconds off winning boat and 0.45 seconds behind Syracuse for second place.

U-M finished as the top Big Ten program with Ohio State (12th), Rutgers (14th) and Indiana (15th) also in the field.

Results

Team Standings
1. Texas -- 130
2. Stanford -- 127
3. Tennessee -- 118
4. Princeton -- 112
5. Washington -- 106
6. Brown -- 99
7. MICHIGAN -- 90
8. Yale -- 88
9. California -- 84
10. Pennsylvania -- 77

First Varsity Eight (Petite Final, places 7-12 overall)
1. California -- 6:19.238
2. Syracuse -- 6:20.384
3. MICHIGAN -- 6:20.834
4. Pennsylvania -- 6:21.446
5. Ohio State -- 6:21.654
6. Yale -- 6:26.438

Second Varsity Eight (Petite Final, places 7-12 overall)
1. MICHIGAN -- 6:31.327
2. Brown -- 6:33.107
3. Virginia -- 6:34.089
4. Pennsylvania -- 6:35.449
5. Ohio State -- 6:36.601
6. California -- 6:36.601

First Varsity Four (Petite Final, places 7-12 overall)
1. MICHIGAN -- 7:13.916
2. Brown -- 7:16.342
3. California -- 7:17.558
4. Rutgers -- 7:18.372
5. Pennsylvania -- 7:23.156
6. Syracuse -- 7:25.334

Michigan Lineup

1V8: Rocky Morabito (cox), Sara Houben, Gracie Landefeld, Madeleine Lauriault, Amy Newton, Katie Easton, Jana Peachey, Zara Collisson, Aubrey Fitts