SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento State will compete at the West Coast Conference Rowing Championship this Friday-Saturday at Lake Natoma.

The Hornets will race in the event for the first time as an affiliate member of the WCC as the team joined the conference prior to this season. Sacramento State has the luxury of competing at its home facility after traveling to the East Coast in previous years to compete at conference championship events.

There are nine rowing programs in the WCC, comprised of five full-time members (Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Diego, Santa Clara) as well as four affiliates in Creighton, Oregon State, Sacramento State and Washington State.

Because there are nine teams, the regatta has been split into two days with heat racing taking place on Friday, and finals on Saturday. Teams will compete in the varsity eight, second varsity eight, varsity four, and second varsity four race categories.

Racing begins Friday morning with a pair of second varsity four heats at 8:30 and 8:45, varsity four heats at 9:00 and 9:15, second varsity eight at 9:30 and 9:45, and varsity eight at 10:00 and 10:15. Sacramento State will compete in the 2V4 at 8:45 a.m., the V4 at 9:00 a.m., the second varsity eight at 9:30 a.m., and the varsity eight at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday's racing begins with the second varsity four petite final (8:00), and concludes with the varsity eight grand final at 9:45 a.m. A schedule for both Saturday and Sunday can be found in the link above the story.

A video stream of Saturday's racing will be offered via ESPN+ (no stream on Friday), and live race results will be provided by HereNow both days.

All nine schools are competing in each of the four race categories, except Santa Clara is not fielding a boat in the second varsity four.

Gonzaga is the nine-time defending WCC champion after capturing its 22nd title in 2024 at Lake Natoma. San Diego has won four titles with the last coming in 2014.

Oregon State is ranked 20th in the nation in the latest CRCA Coaches Poll, and is the only WCC program with a current national ranking. The Beavers were selected first in the WCC preseason coaches poll, followed by Gonzaga, Washington State, San Diego and Sacramento State, respectively, to round out the top five.

Each of the nine WCC rowing programs did not compete last weekend, and have had nearly two weeks off from racing by the time they hit the water on Lake Natoma.

The winner of the WCC Championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship. The NCAA selection show is slated for Tuesday, May 20, at 2 p.m. on NCAA.com. The NCAA Championship will take place May 30-June 1 in West Windsor, N.J., at Mercer Lake.

NOTABLE -- Prior to this season, the Hornets competed in the American Athletic Conference. The Hornets placed in the top five of all eight American Championship events it competed, including a third place showing a year ago.

SACRAMENTO STATE LINEUPS

VARSITY EIGHT
cox - Emma Goldsmith, stroke - Kaylee Godwin, 7 - Harper Waring, 6 - Nieka Marais, 5 - Daria Okhremtchuk, 4 - Ella Holmes, 3 - Mackenzie Murray, 2 - Ruth Brooks, bow - Valarie Reed

SECOND VARSITY EIGHT
cox - Corey Pantega, stroke - Katherine Macias, 7 - Britain Fehd, 6 - Amaka Okam, 5 - Madi Smith, 4 - Olivia Zanni, 3 - Nela Stehlik, 2 - Emma Hallums, bow - Gabriella Glaser

VARSITY FOUR
cox - Ella Barrow, stroke - Pearl Gaston, 3 - Bryleigh Nixon, 2 - Lauren Mannerino, bow - Emma Stockton

SECOND VARSITY FOUR
cox - Savannah Keith, stroke - Emily Lopez, 3 - Dailyn Francia, 2 - Eliana Garcia, bow - Emma Doddridge