STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford women's rowing program begins its spring championship season as second-year head coach Derek Byrnes leads the Cardinal into contests Saturday against UCLA and San Diego State.
The Cardinal travels to Marina Del Rey, California, racing at the Marina Aquatics Center at 9:30 a.m. PT.
"We've worked hard this offseason, and this weekend presents an early opportunity for us to test our early speed and rouse those racing legs," said Byrnes. "The Pac-12 is always competitive, so we are expecting a great race from UCLA and San Diego State."
THE ROSTER
Stanford returns five seats and the coxswain from last year's varsity eight lineup, which finished second in the NCAA Championships. Among the Cardinal's returning veterans is junior All-American Stephanie Grauer.
LOOKING BACK AT 2017
Highlighted by a second-place finish for the varsity eight, Stanford finished sixth as a team at the NCAA Championships last May at New Jersey's Lake Mercer. Stanford totaled 105 points, giving the Cardinal its fourth consecutive top-six team finish in the NCAA Championships.
BRONZE AT PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Cardinal captured the bronze last season at the Pac-12 Rowing Championships. Stanford was third in the varsity eight, beating out Washington State (6:21.873) by five seats at the finish in 6:19.576. The Cardinal second varsity also posted a bronze-medal finish in 6:28.927. The Cardinal varsity four finished its grand final in fourth in 7:12.800.
PAC-12 INVITATIONAL
Stanford's home slate opens on March 31, as the Cardinal hosts the Pac-12 Invitational in Redwood Shores, California. Stanford is slated to race Michigan State, Iowa and Louisville, with California and USC also participating in the regatta.