Men's Crew | Unbeaten UW easily wins national championship

CHERRY HILL, N.J. — As his boat blazed across the finish line, completing his school's first undefeated season in 10 years, Washington senior oarsman Rob Gibson flashed back to the sweat and tears that went into his four years as a Husky.

"There was a brief moment when I thought about all the work, all the pair races, all the camps we went to, the erg tests. Everything was all worth it," Gibson said. "The first thing I said to my four man [senior David Worley] after the race is I'll never forget you or this race for as long as I live."

Entering Saturday's race as the only unbeaten varsity eight boat in the field, Washington saved its best effort of the season for the final day at Cooper River, easily beating Harvard and Stanford to win its first Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship since 1997.

"When you have a really special bunch of athletes you expect special performances," Huskies coach Bob Ernst said, the Varsity Challenge Cup glistening behind him. "Anything less than what we did today wouldn't have been good enough."

Washington also won the overall title, with 216 points to Harvard's 191.

Even before the feature race, Washington exuded a calm confidence that carried the Huskies through the entire 2,000 meters.

"Even going out to the starting line we were still cracking jokes," said junior Steve Full from Cumberland, Maine.

The Huskies jumped a half-boat lead in the first 200 meters, but Harvard, Stanford and Brown pulled even at the halfway mark. Washington made a move and took a one-seat lead with 500 meters remaining. That's when sophomore coxswain Katelin Snyder pushed even harder.

"I say go and they go," Snyder said. "They're just racers. I have 100 percent confidence in all of them."

Senior oarsman Aljosa Corovic said he knew the Huskies were on their way to a national championship just 250 meters into the race. "I knew this was ours," said Corovic, whose sister, Jasmina, traveled from Serbia to see her brother's final collegiate race. "At that point, I felt like I could row forever, and there is no crew in this country that can match our speed. It was our race."

Washington won the race with its best time of the weekend (5:33.16), outdistancing Harvard and Stanford by five seats. The Crimson, which endured its first loss of the season on Friday, and the Cardinal tied for second in 5:34.12.

"Washington was strong, and I give them credit," said Harvard coach Harry Parker, whose teams had won three of the last four NCAA titles. "We rowed the best race we possibly could have, and we couldn't catch them. It was a great race. This is Washington's turn. We'll see what happens next year."

Three members of Washington's last unbeaten team in 1997 were at Saturday's grand final, including coxswain Sean Mulligan, who lives about two blocks from the Cooper River in Collingswood, N.J.

"I was lucky enough to be on the last crew that won, and I wanted to be here to see this next generation of Husky rowers do it," said Mulligan, who coached three years at Washington before returning to the Philadelphia region. "There is a bond we have that those guys now will have."

There was plenty of bonding going on under the Washington tent on the banks of the river Saturday. Full talked about how he never thought he would make a boat at Washington, let alone win a national title. His father, Bill, said he was so excited when the Huskies boat crossed the finish line he couldn't snap a photo.

"I was shaking so badly at the finish I couldn't even hold my camera," Bill Full said. "And I couldn't hold back my tears."

Corovic said the cross-country trip was too far for many of Washington's students and was looking forward to a heroes' welcome when the team arrives back in Seattle on Monday.

"It's great now," Corovic said, "but it's going to be awesome when we get back home and celebrate."

Gibson, who was joined by his parents and sister, said he would like his team to go down as one of the best that ever rowed for Washington.

"All nine of us rowed the course knowing we were going to win. None of these races are easy. They hurt. But winning that Cup is huge for the program. We knew we could do it, and we did it together. I'll never forget this day."

Notes

• The Huskies also picked up gold medals in the second varsity eight and open four events, and the freshman eight boat took home bronze. That gave Washington its 216 points and its first overall points championship since 1970.

• Gonzaga was fourth in the varsity four plus coxswain competition. The Bulldogs were also fourth in the event last year.