Prior to the 2012 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships at West Windsor, NJ., University of Washington coach Bob Ernst said he had made a goal of getting his varsity eight into the Grand Final, something the Huskies had not done since 2008. The Huskies got there, qualifying Saturday, and Sunday finished sixth.
The University of Virginia won the 2,000-meter race in 6:18.72, finishing four seconds ahead of the University of Michigan. Washington clocked 6:29.11, two seconds behind the University of California.
Washington entered the championships ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. Rowing. Virginia and Michigan were ranked T2 behind No. 1 California.
Washington, one of just three programs to qualify for the NCAA Championships every year since the competition’s inception in 1997, has won three NCAA crowns, but none since 2001. The Huskies also won in 1997 and 1998 and were second in 2000, 2002 and 2008.
