Women's Rowing 4/25/2019 10:22:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Ready For WIRA Championships

SACRAMENTO – The University of Central Oklahoma rowing team returns to the water this weekend for the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships on Lake Natoma Saturday and Sunday.

WATCH THE WIRA CHAMPIONSHIPS LIVE HERE

Saturday's racing begins at 8:40 a.m. with Varsity 8+ and will continue at 11:40 a.m. with Varsity 4+ and Open 4+ competition. A Pair 2- matchup will take place at 1:30 p.m.

Sunday's racing gets underway at 8:40 a.m. with a V8 C Final, followed by the Petite Final at 8:50 a.m. and the Grand Final at 9 a.m. The V4 and Open 4 finals will take place at 10:40 a.m. and the 2- finals will be at 11:30 a.m.

Central Oklahoma is the top-rated team in the nation – and has been in all coaches' polls this season. The Bronchos have seen some of the competition they will face this weekend already this season, having beaten all of the western schools in the Central Sprints last month in Oklahoma City.

UCO won both its V4+ and V8+ races last month against Western Washington, Humboldt State and UC San Diego. Those schools join UCO in the national rankings and will be the teams to beat this weekend on Lake Natoma.

Following the WIRA Championships, which Central won last year in route to a national title, the Bronchos will return to dual racing in May ahead of next month's national finals. The Bronchos will first return to California to take on Western Washington and Stanford before returning to OKC to host Seattle Pacific and Barry. Those two weekends preceed the NCAA Division II National Championships in Indianapolis.

Here are Central Oklahoma's lineups for this weekend's races.

V8: Madisyn Kitchell (coxswain); Kiele Erickson; Laura Francis; Megan Dwarshuis; Eileen Anderson; Shelby Wackerly; Bailee Thomas; Erica Mitchell; Siobhan Quirke
V4: Blair Johnson (c); Cameron Blunk; Ali Nakvinda; Savanna Hammonds; Lauren Wall
Open 4: Maddie O'Brien (c); Allison Staley; Grace Hutchingson; Taylor Clowers; Carly Koons
Pair 2: Sierra Munoz; Dorothy Lyman

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Players Mentioned

Cameron Blunk: 5' 7"; Sophomore; Varsity

Megan Dwarshuis: 5' 10"; Junior; Varsity

Kiele Erickson: 5' 8"; Junior; Varsity

Savanna Hammonds: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Grace Hutchingson: 5' 10"; Junior; Varsity

Blair Johnson: 5' 1"; Junior; Varsity

Madisyn Kitchell: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Carly Koons: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Dorothy Lyman: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Varsity

Erica Mitchell: 6' 1"; Senior; Varsity

Players Mentioned

Cameron Blunk
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; Varsity

Megan Dwarshuis
: 5' 10"; Junior; Varsity

Kiele Erickson
: 5' 8"; Junior; Varsity

Savanna Hammonds
: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Grace Hutchingson
: 5' 10"; Junior; Varsity

Blair Johnson
: 5' 1"; Junior; Varsity

Madisyn Kitchell
: 5' 6"; Junior; Varsity

Carly Koons
: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Dorothy Lyman
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; Varsity

Erica Mitchell
: 6' 1"; Senior; Varsity