Women's Rowing 12/18/2020 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Friday Feature: Pure Dominance

Friday Features Are Brought To You By UCO ROTC

The University of Central Oklahoma rowing program entered the 2018-19 season in uncharted waters – as the defending NCAA champions. But the pressure, the target on the back, the grind, none of that mattered for the Bronchos as they rowed to a near perfect season, a sweep of the national championships, and a second consecutive season that ended with UCO on the stage in the end. The 2018-19 rowing team is the subject of this week's Friday Feature.

Just a few years after starting the program, Central built a powerhouse. A new boathouse that rivals any program in the country opened in 2015. In 2017, the Varsity 8+ squad rowed to a national title and helped the team finish second. In 2018, the eights did it again and the Varsity 4+ boat finished strong enough to give UCO its first national title.

Now in 2019, the Bronchos were in a different position. UCO had spent nearly an entire season ranked No. 1 in the country in route to winning it all so from the beginning, Central was the team to beat. And in the beginning, the rowing world knew it.

UCO was picked No. 1 in the preseason coaches' poll. After a strong fall season, the Bronchos were ready to get in the water and make another run to nationals.

Central had a solid preseason training camp in Florida and held itself hand in hand with some Division I crews that shared the water.

Then it was time to open the season officially.

UCO hosted the Central Sprints in Oklahoma City. The Bronchos, still ranked No. 1 in the country of course, hosted six other schools from around the country, all of which were ranked in the Top 10, and dominated in every facet of the event.

On Central's home Oklahoma River, the Bronchos won the preliminary races in both the V4+ and the V8+ and did so with ease. Later that night, under the lights, Central won the fours final by seven seconds and the eights also won, by three seconds, to take top honors at the event and solidify everyone's belief that UCO had the best team in the country.

Central had a bit of time off following the Central Sprints but turned its attention to the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships. UCO had already won at WIRA the season before and with its top spot in the country, 2019 would be no different.

Just like the Central Sprints, UCO won both the V4+ and V8+ prelims and then in the finals, more of the same. The Bronchos dominated WIRA and gathered every bit of momentum they could before nationals.

Central had another bit of time off between WIRA and NCAAs. But the time soon came for the Bronchos to head Indianapolis, Indiana for the national finals.

And just like the Central Sprints in March. Just like WIRA in April. Nationals in May was another conquering performance by the Bronchos.

In the Varsity 8+ preliminaries, Central won by 11 seconds. In the Varsity 4+ preliminaries, Central won by five seconds.

The Bronchos came out rowing the way they had all season long and earned themselves a day off while the other boats competed in the repechage.

Sunday morning rolled around and Central Oklahoma was ready for the grand finals in both boats.

The fours went first and Central jumped out to an early lead it wouldn't relinquish. The Broncho fours, led by Blair Johnson in the coxswain seat, were bound and determined to win the first national title in that boat after coming up short in each of the previous three seasons. UCO raced through the finish line four seconds ahead of the competition and took the crown.

The fours earned UCO 12 team points with the victory and put the Bronchos in the driver's seat for team title with the eights getting ready to row next.

Central's eights had won a title in 2017 and 2018, and the expectation was a third straight in 2019.

Expectation became reality.

Central cruised to another win, taking a four second victory with ease over the next boat and a 10 second victory over the next two boats after that.

The Bronchos had won a third consecutive national title in the Varsity 8+ and thanks to a dominating performance from the fours, blew away the competition in the team standings for its second consecutive team national championship.

Led by Johnson, the fours were made up of Shelby Wackerly, Ali Nakvinda, Savanna Hammonds, and Lauren Wall.

Led by Madisyn Kitchell, the eights were made up of Cameron Blunk, Laura Francis, Megan Dwarshuis, Eileen Anderson, Erica Mitchell, Bailee Thomas, Kiele Erickson, and Siobhan Quirke.

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Players Mentioned

Lauren Wall: 5' 8"; Sophomore; Novice

Erica Mitchell: 6' 0"; Freshman; Varsity

Eileen Anderson: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Kiele Erickson: 5' 8"; Senior; Varsity

Savanna Hammonds: 5' 6"; Senior; Varsity

Bailee Thomas: 5' 9"; Senior; Varsity

Cameron Blunk: 5' 7"; Senior; Varsity

Megan Dwarshuis: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Laura Francis: 5' 5"; Junior; Varsity

Madisyn Kitchell: 5' 6"; Senior; Varsity

Players Mentioned

Lauren Wall
: 5' 8"; Sophomore; Novice

Erica Mitchell
: 6' 0"; Freshman; Varsity

Eileen Anderson
: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Kiele Erickson
: 5' 8"; Senior; Varsity

Savanna Hammonds
: 5' 6"; Senior; Varsity

Bailee Thomas
: 5' 9"; Senior; Varsity

Cameron Blunk
: 5' 7"; Senior; Varsity

Megan Dwarshuis
: 5' 10"; Senior; Varsity

Laura Francis
: 5' 5"; Junior; Varsity

Madisyn Kitchell
: 5' 6"; Senior; Varsity