On Tuesday, No. 16 Rutgers rowing was selected for the 2023 NCAA Championships taking place from May 26-28. It’s the fourth consecutive berth for the program, which earned an at-large bid. 22 teams overall will compete in Cooper River in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Memorial Day weekend.
Justin Price has elevated the program since his arrival in 2017. On an annual basis under Price, the Scarlet Knights are nationally ranked and also a regular participant at nationals. Rutgers finished in 11th place at the 2019 NCAA Championships, followed by back to back 13th place finishes in 2021 and 2022.
Last year, all three Rutgers boats outperformed their seeding at nationals. The Varsity 4 boat finished 9th, six spots better. Both the Varsity 8 and 2nd Varsity 8 finished 13th, better than its respective seeding at 16th and 15th.
All three boats will be competing at the 2023 NCAA Championships. Rutgers rowing enters nationals after finishing fourth at the Big Ten Championships. The program won four medals including the 2nd Varsity 8 and Varsity 4 both winning bronze after third place finishes. The Varsity 8 just missed the podium in fourth place. In addition, the 3rd Varsity 4 won gold for a second straight year while the 2nd Varsity 4 took second place.
The Varsity 8 boat is led by Second Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection Hannah Heideveld. In addition, Emma Waters was just named a Second Team All-Big Ten selection and junior coxswain Emily Mahaffy was a Second Team All-American in 2021.
The 2023 NCAA Championships begins Friday, May 26 with flighted heats for all three events – Varsity 8, 2nd Varsity 8 and Varsity 4. The semifinals are on Saturday and the championship finals are on Sunday.
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pj43
May 18, 2023 at 12:13 pm
Thanks for the coverage, Aaron. Now I have something to do on Memorial Day weekend, as I live not far from the Cooper River and have attended both high school & collegiate rowing events in the past at this great venue. It promises to be a fun & colorful weekend.