INDIANAPOLIS Princeton University claimed the top spot in the preseason USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division I Varsity Eight Coaches Poll, while Western Washington University topped the Division II poll.
In Division I, Princeton earned 13 of 24 first-place votes to take the top position in the preseason rankings. California, the defending NCAA champions, earned nine first-place votes to garner the second spot in the poll. Virginia ranked third, followed by Ohio State and Yale. Southern California, ranked 11th, earned the remaining first-place vote.
Western Washington earned all five first-place votes to take the top spot in the Division II poll. Barry University ranked second, while Nova Southeastern and Mercyhurst College tied for third place.
The first regular season poll will be released on March 29. The USRowing men’s collegiate poll, which is not affiliated with the CRCA, is also scheduled to be released on March 29.
| Women’s NCAA Division I Varsity Eights | |
|---|---|
| Team | (1st-Place Votes) Points |
| 1. Princeton University | (13) 450 |
| 2. University of California at Berkeley | (9) 421 |
| 3. University of Virginia | 386 |
| 4. The Ohio State University | 383 |
| 5. Yale University | 361 |
| 6. Brown University | 299 |
| 7. University of Michigan | 286 |
| 8. University of Wisconsin | 254 |
| 9. Washington State University | 252 |
| 10. University of Washington | 226 |
| 11. University of Southern California | (1) 214 |
| 12. University of Tennessee | 205 |
| 13. Michigan State University | 195 |
| 14. University of California at Los Angeles | 149 |
| 15. Stanford University | 137 |
| 16. Boston University | 129 |
| 17. Harvard University | 124 |
| 18. Northeastern University | 91 |
| 19. University of Minnesota | 81 |
| 20. Columbia University | 59 |
| Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Dartmouth College 29, Oregon State University 21, Syracuse University 18, University of Notre Dame 17, University of Louisville 11, Duke University 9, University of Texas 9, University of Iowa 7, Clemson University 4, Indiana University 1, Sacramento State University, and University of Pennsylvania 1. | |
| Women’s NCAA Division II Varsity Eights | |
|---|---|
| Team | (1st-Place Votes) Points |
| 1. Western Washington University | (5) 25 |
| 2. Barry University | 17 |
| 3t. Nova Southeastern | 8 |
| 3t. Mercyhurst College | 8 |
| 5. Florida Tech | 7 |
| Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Dowling College 6 and University of California at San Diego 5. | |