Yale University claimed the top spot in the preseason USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA Division I Varsity Eight Coaches Poll, while Western Washington University and Williams College topped the Division II and III polls, respectively.
In Division I, Yale University, who won the varsity eight race at last year’s NCAA Championships, earned 22 of 25 first-place votes to earn the No. 1 ranking. Brown University, with one first-place vote, ranked second, followed by the University of Washington, Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley. Stanford received the other two first-place votes.
Four-time defending champion Western Washington received five of six first-place votes to earn the top spot in the Division II poll. Dowling College and the University of California at San Diego tied for second place. Dowling received the other first-place vote.
Williams College received nine of 10 first-place votes to earn the top spot in the Division III poll. Williams won the Division III team title at last year’s NCAA Championships, while Trinity College won the eights race. Trinity, who received the other first-place vote, ranked second in the preseason poll. Bates College, Ithaca College and the University of Puget Sound rounded out the top five.
The first regular season poll will be released on March 25.
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Women’s NCAA Division I Varsity Eights
Team (1st-Place Votes), Points
1. Yale University (22), 494
2. Brown University (1), 425
3. University of Washington, 420
4. Stanford University (2), 413
5. University of California, 400
6. University of Virginia, 366
7. Michigan State University, 327
8. Princeton University, 321
9. Harvard University, 314
10. University of Southern California, 280
11. Washington State University, 255
12. The Ohio State University, 221
13. Clemson University, 201
14. University of Wisconsin, 174
15. University of Michigan, 165
16. University of Tennessee, 98
17. Boston University, 93
18. Oregon State University, 70
19. University of Minnesota, 66
20. University of Louisville, 30
Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: University of Pennsylvania 29, Northeastern University 28, University of Notre Dame 24, Syracuse University 14, University of California at Los Angeles 12, Dartmouth College 6, Bucknell University 2, University of Iowa 1, and St. Mary’s College of California 1.
Women’s NCAA Division II Varsity Eights
Team (1st-Place Votes), Points
1. Western Washington University (5), 29
2t. Dowling College (1), 21
2t. University of California at San Diego, 21
4. Mercyhurst College, 9
5. Philadelphia University, 5
Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Barry University 4 and Nova Southeastern 1.
Women’s NCAA Division III Varsity Eights
Team (1st-Place Votes), Points
1. Williams College (9), 199
2. Trinity College (1), 185
3. Bates College, 184
4. Ithaca College, 167
5. University of Puget Sound, 154
6. William Smith College, 150
7. United States Coast Guard Academy, 139
8. Smith College, 101
9. Mt. Holyoke College, 99
10. Wellesley College, 98
11. Willamette University, 87
12. Wesleyan College, 80
13t. St. Lawrence University, 75
13t. Tufts University, 75
15. Simmons College, 39
Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: University of Mary Washington 36, Washington College 35, Marietta College 16, Lewis & Clark College 12, Pacific Lutheran University 7, Skidmore College 6 and Vassar College 6.