Watch Valley rower, champion team, on local TV

Published 9:37 am Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mount Si grad Katie Woolsey and the rest of her national champion Western Washington University women’s rowing team can be seen on local television as part of a special highlight show.

The 2009 NCAA Championships Spring Highlight Show airs 11 a.m. Saturday, July 4 on KIRO 7.

The program includes footage of the national championship rowing races held May 31 at Cherry Hill, New Jersey, on the Cooper River .

Western’s accomplishment was the first time that a team in any NCAA rowing division has won five straight titles since the NCAA began a rowing championship in 1997.

The Vikings’ eight, which completed a perfect season with 10 wins in 10 races, won its 2,000-meter grand final in a time of 6:52.60, over a boat length ahead of second-place Mercyhurst PA (6:57.22).

Western, coached by John Fuchs , was second in the fours grand final, edging third-place Mercyhurst by just two seats on the last two strokes. Nova Southeastern FL won that race in 7:53.64. The Vikings were clocked in 7:57.34 and Mercyhurst in 7:57.70.

Western took the team title with 18 points, followed by Mercyhurst 13, Nova Southeastern 11 and Philadelphia 3.

The Vikings entered the championship regatta ranked No.2 nationally in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA II Poll, with Mercyhurst No.1.

Western has not lost to a non-Division I school in varsity eight competition since 2004.