SECOND PLACE AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Highlighted by a second-place finish for the varsity eight, No. 8 Stanford finished sixth as a team at the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships in May at Lake Mercer in New Jersey.
Stanford totaled 105 points, giving the Cardinal its fourth consecutive top-six team finish in the NCAA Championships. Ohio State (106 points) edged the Cardinal out for fifth, with Texas (fourth-108 points), Michigan (third-112 points), California (second- 123 points) and Washington (first-132 points) occupying the top four in the final standings. The Huskies gave the Pac-12 its 500th championship all-time.
Along with the second-place finish in the varsity eight, the second varsity eight and varsity four each placed ninth overall.
BRONZE AT PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
No. 8 Stanford captured the bronze at the Pac-12 Rowing Championships at Lake in the middle of May. The Cardinal totaled 39 points to place third, behind first-place and top-ranked Washington (45.5 points) and second-place and No. 2 California (39 points).
Stanford took home the bronze in the varsity eight, beating out Washington State (6:21.873) by five seats at the finish with a time of 6:19.576. The Cardinal second varsity also posted a bronze-medal finish with a time of 6:28.927. Stanford took home its third bronze medal on the day, with the third varsity eight completing the course in 6:47.680 in its grand final. The Cardinal varsity four finished its grand final in fourth with a time of 7:12.800
ALL-AMERICA TRIO
Seniors Ruth Narode and Filippa Karrfelt and sophomore Stephanie Grauer were selected to the Division I First Team All-America Team by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. The three honorees bring the total of All-America selections for Stanford to 34 since 2007.
PAC-12 ROWER OF THE YEAR
Senior Ruth Narode was named the Pac-12 Women's Rowing Athlete of the Year. Narode was also one of two members of the Cardinal to be named to the 13-member All-Pac-12 Women's Rowing Team, joining sophomore Stephanie Grauer.
Narode, a three-year team leader, rowed in the varsity eight all season. She helped guide the Cardinal's top boat to a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships in New Jersey at the end of May, finishing within five seats and less than two seconds from winning an NCAA title. Stanford, which finished sixth as a team in the NCAA Championships, was ranked in the top-10 all season.
The senior, who is majoring in human biology, rowed primarily in the four-seat and the five-seat of the varsity eight during the year. The varsity eight won 10 races, including victories over top-five foes California, Ohio State, Texas and Michigan.
84TH BIG ROW
In a top-10 showdown at Redwood Shores at the end of April, No. 2 California defeated No. 8 Stanford in the 84th annual Big Row. With the Lambert Cup on the line, the two crews battled each other throughout the course. The Golden Bears eventually pushed their bow in front. After Stanford won last year's Lambert Cup, California took home the 2017 trophy with a time of 6:16.88 to the Cardinal's 6:19.97.
The Bears captured the second varsity eight race as well with a time of 6:26.60, edging Stanford (6:29.80). The varsity four race went to Cal (7:13.90), with Stanford finishing the course in 7:21.46. Stanford and Cal also raced a third varsity eight, with the Bears (6:45.5) defeating the Cardinal (7:00.5).
LAKE NATOMA INVITATIONAL
In a showdown of the three of the top crews in the nation between No. 2 California, No. 6 Stanford and No. 9 Brown, the Cardinal placed second in the varsity eight to close out the two-day Lake Natoma Invitational at the beginning of May.
Stanford's top boat raced down the Lake Natoma course in 6:23.61 to finish a length behind California (6:18.27) in second place.
The Cardinal's second varsity eight finished with a time of 6:31.24 to placed third in its race. California (6:20.01) won the race, while Brown (6:28.65) edged Stanford by several seats for second place.
Stanford's varsity four also finished third with a time of 7:12.4. California won the race with a time of 7:02.7, with Brown placing second (7:07.5).
On the first day of the Lake Natoma Invitational, Stanford's three NCAA boats – varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four – swept its races against Gonzaga and Clemson.
CARD TOPS OHIO STATE IN PAC-12 CHALLENGE
Stanford recorded ab open-water victory over No. 2 Ohio State in the varsity eight, before the Buckeyes captured wins in the second varsity eight and varsity four at the Pac-12 Challenge in early April at Redwood Shores.
The Cardinal won two of three races against No. 7 Virginia and took one of three races against No. 3 Michigan on the regatta's opening day. The varsity four defeated Michigan by a couple seats, with a time of 7:23.3 to UM's 7:24.5. The varsity eight raced down the course in 6:22.57, finishing three seconds back of Michigan (6:19.0). Michigan also took the second varsity eight race with a time of 6:28.55. The Cardinal completed the course in 6:40.88.
The Cardinal varsity eight enjoyed an open water win over the Cavaliers, completing the course in 6:20.26 to UVA's 6:27.38. Stanford (7:21.83) also won the varsity four race against Virginia (7:24.24). UVA (6:28.55) edged the Cardinal (6:31.96) in the second varsity eight.
SEASON-OPENING SWEEP OF BRUINS AND AZTECS
Stanford earned a sweep of its four races in the season-opening regatta against UCLA and San Diego State at Ballona Creek.
The third varsity eight opened the day with a win against UCLA and San Diego State. The Cardinal raced down the course in 6:57.5 to win by open water over the second-place Bruins (7:11.9) and third-place Aztecs (7:26.0).
The varsity four won by a length over the Bruins, completing the course in 7:34.0. UCLA finished six seconds behind with a time of 7:40.8. SDSU was third with a time of 8:05.7.
The second varsity eight won by open water with a time of 6:47.7, ahead of second-place UCLA (7:00.0) and San Diego State (7:11.4).
The varsity eight also captured an open-water victory, racing down the course in 6:27.2. The Cardinal won by 16 seconds over second-place UCLA (6:43.2). San Diego State was third with a time of 6:51.9.
BYRNES COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL FIRST SEASON
Head coach Derek Byrnes, who directed the Stanford women's lightweight program to IRA Championships in each of his two seasons, took over as the head coach of the Cardinal's openweight program in 2017. He led Stanford to a top-10 ranking throughout the season and a sixth-place finish in the NCAA Championships.
