SARASOTA, Fla. – The University of Pennsylvania women's rowing team is set to make history this weekend, as for the first time in program history the Quakers will row as a full team at the NCAA Championships.
 
Penn's previous experience was limited to a Four in 1998; on Friday at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, all three of the Red and Blue's NCAA boats—Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight, Varsity Four—will begin the quest for national championships.
 
Penn's Varsity Eight is seeded ninth in the field of 22 boats, while the Second Varsity Eight is seeded sixth and the Varsity Four is seeded 17th.
 
All three will row Friday morning in heats. Depending on heat results, the respective boats may have to row a second time on Friday in their repechages. Semifinals are scheduled to take place Saturday morning from 8:12-10:24 a.m., and finals are scheduled to be contested during those same times on Sunday morning.
 
"It's a balance of being really thrilled that we've earned our way here and now getting excited to perform at the level we think we're capable of," said Penn's head coach, Wesley Ng. "I continue to be impressed by our approach at practice, and I think our performance at the Ivy League Championships has boosted our confidence heading into this weekend.
 
"There's been a lot of talk in the boathouse these last few weeks about how humbling it is to be competing with so many great programs this weekend," he continued. "That said, we've been preparing for this all year, and now that the moment is here we're excited to put our full preparation on display."
 
Friday's Schedule | Watch Friday's Repechages | Live Results | Boatings
  9 a.m. – Varsity Eights heat
    (by lanes 1-5) - #17 USC | #9 Penn | #1 Texas | #8 Washington | #16 Rutgers
  10:12 a.m. – Second Varsity Eights heat
    (by lanes 1-6) - #19 BU | #11 Virginia | #3 Washington | #6 Penn | #14 Duke | #22 Northeastern
  10:36 a.m. – Varsity Fours heat
    (by lanes 1-5) - #17 Penn | #9 Yale | #1 Texas | #8 USC | #16 Syracuse
Repechage races (if necessary) will run Friday afternoon…
  Varsity Eights: 4:12 p.m.
  Second Varsity Eights: 4:36 p.m.
  Varsity Fours: 5 p.m.