Cal Poly Humboldt women’s rowing finishes second nationally again
Humboldt’s varsity eight and four both took bronze at Lake Lanier, but 20 points left Cal Poly Humboldt two behind Western Washington and again just short of a title.
Cal Poly Humboldt women’s rowing came home from Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia, with another national runner-up finish, and the margin showed how close the program came to the top. Humboldt finished second in the NCAA Division II Women’s Rowing Championship with 20 points, behind Western Washington’s 30, after both the varsity eight and varsity four placed third in their grand finals.
The championship was condensed into one day because of weather concerns, with six teams racing over 2,000 meters in two events, an eight and a four with coxswain. Humboldt’s varsity eight earned 12 points with a third-place finish in 6:49.802, shaving four seconds off its morning time. The varsity four added eight points with a third-place finish in 7:45.172. Seattle Pacific finished third with 17 points, Jefferson was fourth with 16, Embry-Riddle was fifth with 15 and Rollins took sixth with 7.
That result left Cal Poly Humboldt once again in the narrow space between national contender and champion. Head coach Matt Weise said he was pleased with how the team performed across the season and that the group gave everything it had, even though first place was the goal. Associate head coach Ashley Donnell said one late adjustment for nationals was a switch to a bucket rig for the varsity four, a technical change intended to help the boat swing more effectively.
The lineups that carried Humboldt to second place reflected the program’s depth. The varsity eight included coxswain Giania Bogacki, Lily Storseth, Leah Dunn, Elsie Stevens, River Walkington, Royce Ankel, Dayanara Anaya, Adelaide Toll and Ellie Walters. The varsity four included coxswain Olivia Huynh, Laurel Calhoun, Nadia Weise, Emma Wilson and Keziah Rutschow.
For the rowers, the finish carried both pride and a sense of unfinished business. Emma Wilson said she knew from the start that the team wanted to reach the championship and that this would be her last time competing, so she wanted to savor even the hard moments. Bogacki described a race approach built around communication and shared problem-solving, while senior Ellie Walters said the season strengthened her confidence and underscored the value of being part of a team of strong women who push and support each other.
Humboldt’s latest near-miss fits a program that has stayed at the center of Division II rowing for more than a decade. The Lumberjacks won NCAA Division II team titles in 2012, 2014 and 2023, and captured varsity four national titles in 2012, 2014, 2023 and 2025. In 2025, Humboldt finished second overall with 24 points behind Embry-Riddle while winning the varsity four title. Western Washington’s 2026 victory was its 10th NCAA Division II rowing championship, a reminder of the standard Humboldt is chasing as it looks toward the next season.
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