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 and Trinity College topped the Division II and III polls, respectively.
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.
Trinity College received six of seven first-place votes to take the top spot in the Division III poll. Williams College ranked second, followed by Ithaca College, Smith College, and Colby College. Ithaca received the other first-place vote.
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.
Women’s NCAA Division III Varsity Eights
Team (1st-Place Votes), Points
1. Trinity College (6), 138
2. Williams College, 124
3. Ithaca College (1), 122
4. Smith College, 113
5. Colby College, 110
6. William Smith College, 103
7. Tufts University, 94
8. University of Puget Sound, 91
9. Mt. Holyoke College, 81
10. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 74
11. United States Coast Guard Academy, 72
12. Wesleyan University, 35
13. Bates College, 31
14. Washington College, 30
15. Vassar College, 29
Not Ranked But Receiving Votes: Pacific Lutheran University 27, University of Mary Washington 18, Skidmore College 17, Johns Hopkins University 15, Lewis & Clark College 15, Connecticut College 12, Rochester Institute of Technology 8, and Marietta College 6.