CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
OKLAHOMA CITY – The 2019 American Athletic Conference Women's Rowing Championship is on Friday, May 17, at 8 a.m. ET/7 a.m. CT, in Oklahoma City, Okla., at the US Rowing National High Performance Center. It is the first season the championship has taken place in Oklahoma.
A new championship site is joined by a new championship competitor as Old Dominion competes as part of the American Athletic Conference Championship for the first time in 2019.
While the venue and field may be new this season, the top-two teams in the previous four championships have been identical. UCF has won four-straight American titles while Tulsa has earned the runner-up crown each year. The two teams have also gone 1-2 in the varsity eight race at each championship.
UCF is receiving votes in the latest CRCA/US Rowing Top-25 poll and aim for a five-peat on Sunday. The Knights are coming off a third-placed finish at the Lake Wheeler Invitational in late April.
Tulsa has challenged the UCF in each of its four seasons in the conference and will look to break through in 2019 after a strong spring schedule that featuring invites at Louisville, Sunshine State and Lake Natoma.
The American currently boasts two teams in receiving votes in the top-25 as SMU has enjoyed a strong season. The Mustangs are the top- ranked team in the conference with the cMax rankings at No. 24. UCF sits at No. 38.
In all, six of the top eight league teams are in the top-53 of the cMax Rankings. With Tulsa (42), San Diego State (46), Sacramento State (51) and Temple (53) grouped closely together; the championship field could see several different teams vying for spots on the podium. UConn (65) and Old Dominion (94) round out the field.
Due to the updated championship schedule and its University academic requirements for finals, Sacramento State will be unable to make it to Oklahoma City.
Championship scoring is new for 2019. The conference's team championship and automatic qualifier will be determined by points accrued in the three NCAA events: Varsity 4, Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 8. Titles will be awarded in the Third Varsity 8, Second Varsity 4 and Third Varsity 4.
Order of Events
Varsity Eight – 8 am ET/7 am CT
Second Varsity Eight – 8:30 am ET/7:30 am CT
Varsity Four – 9 am ET/8 am CT
Second Varsity Four – 9:30 am ET/8:30 am CT
Third Varsity Eight – 10 am ET/9 am CT
Third Varsity Four – 10:10 am ET/9:10 am CT
Awards Ceremony at 10:45 a.m. ET/9:45 a.m. CT