MADISON, Wis. — The 16th-ranked Wisconsin women’s rowing program sweated it out, but learned Tuesday that it will be returning to the NCAA championships for the seventh consecutive season. The Badgers earned one of 11 at-large spots for the 22-team field that will compete Friday-Sunday, May 30-June 1, at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis.
“We are really exicted and looking forward to the chance to show better speed,” head coach Bebe Bryans said. “It’s a great honor to be selected and we really appreciate the opportunity. We are looking forward to demonstrating what we can do and representing Wisconsin at the national championships.”
Returning to the same site as last weekend’s Big Ten championships, UW will join three other Big Ten schools at the event, including Big Ten and defending NCAA champion Ohio State. Michigan and first-time participant Indiana. The Badgers finished third as a team at Big Tens with a second-place result in the varsity four and fourth-place finishes in the varsity eight and second varsity eight.
In its varsity eight heat at NCAAs, Wisconsin will race Conference USA-champion Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Pac-12 champion Stanford and ACC-champion Virginia on May 30.
UW’s second varsity eight will see West Coast Conference-champ San Diego, Washington, Brown and Michigan on the water for its heat.
Finally, the Badgers’ varsity four will take on Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Ohio State, American-champ Louisville and Metro Atlantic title winner Jacksonville to get things going.
Wisconsin posted a seventh-place result for its top finish at the NCAA championships in 2010 when the competition included 16 teams. The Badgers placed 16th at last year’s event.
For those planning to attend, all-session tickets are ONLY available prior to the start of the Championships ($40 for adults; $25 for student/senior/child.). Individual day tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for student/senior/child. Children age 2 and under are free.
The entire event will stream live at NCAA.com.
“We’re psyched and we’ll be ready,” Bryans concluded.
2014 NCAA Field
Automatic Qualifiers
Boston U. (Patriot League)
Jacksonville (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
Louisville (American Athletic Conference)
Massachusetts (Atlantic 10 Conference)
Northeastern (Colonial Athletic Conference)
Ohio State (Big Ten Conference)
Oklahoma (Conference USA)
Princeton (The Ivy League)
San Diego (West Coast Conference)
Stanford (Pac-12 Conference)
Virginia (Atlantic Coast Conference)
At-Large Selections:
Brown
California
UCLA
Harvard
Indiana
Michigan
Notre Dame
USC
Washington
Washington State
Wisconsin
The seeding for each boat classification is as follows:
I Eights
1. Ohio State
2. Stanford
3. Princeton
4. Brown
5. Washington
6. California
7. Virginia
8. Michigan
9. USC
10. Notre Dame
11. UCLA
12. Indiana
13. Harvard
14. Washington State
15. Wisconsin
16. Louisville
17. San Diego
18. Oklahoma
19. Northeastern
20. Massachusetts
21. Boston U.
22. Jacksonville
II Eights
1. Brown
2. Stanford
3. Ohio State
4. Virginia
5. UCLA
6. California
7. Princeton
8. Michigan
9. Washington
10. Notre Dame
11. Indiana
12. Washington State
13. USC
14. Harvard
15. Louisville
16. Wisconsin
17. San Diego
18. Oklahoma
19. Northeastern
20. Boston U.
21. Massachusetts
22. Jacksonville
Fours
1. Brown
2. Virginia
3. Ohio State
4. Stanford
5. Washington
6. Wisconsin
7. California
8. Princeton
9. Michigan
10. Harvard
11. Notre Dame
12. Washington State
13. Indiana
14. Louisville
15. UCLA
16. San Diego
17. USC
18. Northeastern
19. Oklahoma
20. Boston U.
21. Massachusetts
22. Jacksonville