Bucknell University Athletics
NCAA Women's Rowing Championship Field to Expand, Patriot League Expected to Receive Automatic Bid
9/25/2012 8:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Sept. 25, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - An expansion of the NCAA Women's Rowing Championship field should have quite the positive impact on the Bucknell women's rowing program. The NCAA recently announced it will expand the size of the Women's Rowing Championship field from 16 to 22, effective with the 2013 championship. The Patriot League is expected to be added to the list of conferences that will receive automatic berths into the expanded field. Bucknell has won seven consecutive Patriot League titles.
"This is a very exciting development for the Patriot League and I know it will create an even greater sense of hunger amongst all of the teams," said Bison 17th-year head coach Stephen Kish. "The chance to compete against the very best in the sport, at the final end-of-season championship, is something that our team will work very hard for this year and every year to come."
The NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Committee will recommend to the NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet at its September meeting that 11 conferences receive automatic qualification for the 2013 NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Championship. In addition to the Patriot League, it is expected that the Atlantic 10 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, The Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Pac 12 Conference and West Coast Conference will receive automatic bids for their champions.
Bucknell, which will be vying for its first-ever NCAA Championship berth next spring, has been at the top of the Patriot League for seven straight years after Navy won the conference's first-ever team title in 2005. The Bison varsity eight has been named Patriot League Boat of the Year in each of the championship campaigns, while Kish has earned Coach of the Year honors six times.
The 2013 NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Championship will take place May 31-June 2 at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Ind.
Women's Rowing Program Video Update
