Vikings crew team looking for 7th straight national title this weekend

The Western Washington University women's rowing team received official confirmation Tuesday that it will compete for a seventh consecutive national title, earning a berth in the 10th annual NCAA Division II National Championships on May 27-29 at Lake Natoma near Sacramento, Calif. (host Washington State University)

The Vikings, who received word from the NCAA II Women's Rowing Committee, will represent the West Region for the eighth straight year and for the ninth time in 10 years (at-large entry in 2003). Last year, they won a sixth consecutive national title, an unprecedented feat in any division of the NCAA.

"We're excited to be the West representative and we're looking forward to hopefully bringing home some hardware," said Western coach John Fuchs (13th year), who received 2011 Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Coach of the Year honors.

"We're pretty oblivious to what's happened in the past. We're just focused on winning a national championship. We know what works for us and what the other schools are capable of. We want to stay focused on what we need to do."

Western has been ranked No.1 nationally in the USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association NCAA II Poll the entire season, receiving every first-place vote.

The Vikings are one of four schools competing for the team championship - each school being required to row a varsity eight and a varsity four.

Read the rest of this story on the website for WWU Athletics.