LOWELL, Ore. – The No. 3-ranked Washington men's rowing team finished in second place at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships Sunday at Dexter Lake, earning a win in the third varsity eight final, while taking second in four other races.
 
No. 1-ranked California won the team title with a total of 72 points, while Washington finished with 65. Oregon State took third place with 47 points and Stanford was fourth, with 42. 
 
In the final race of the regatta, the men's varsity eight final, Washington came off of the starting dock well, executing a fast start to take the lead. But the Golden Bears caught up in the first half of the race and led the rest of the way. 
 
Cal won the race in 5:34.673 with Washington finishing in 5:38.511, just ahead of third-place Stanford (5:39.025).
 
The men's second varsity eight race was a close one, as Washington finished just 1.152 second behind Cal.
 
Washington won the third varsity eight race. California led that one in the early-going, but the Huskies caught the Bears in the first 500 and had more than a length on them after the midway point. The Huskies finished the 3V8+ final in 5:46.669, to Cal's time of 5:54.189.
 
California won close races in both the freshman eight and varsity four finals. In the freshman race, the two traditional rivals were neck-and-neck for the entire 2,000 meters, with the Bears eking out a win by just 0.16 seconds (5:47.100 to 5:47.260).
 
"The win in the third varsity eight was the highlight of the day," said UW head coach Michael Callahan. "That was a dominant win. And, the 2V and the freshman boat both closed the gaps from the Cal Dual, so it's great to see improvements there."
 
The varsity four final was tight a swell, with the Huskies gaining the early lead before the Bears won by just over two seconds (6:24.370 to 6:26.600).
 
"The varsity had been improving in every race until today," Callahan added. "We've been training hard and the effort is there, but we have a lot of work to do to find our rhythm before IRAs. We all believe that we have more, and now the challenge is to find it."
 
The Huskies will now have nearly three weeks to prepare for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association national championship regatta, June, 2-4, at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, N.J.
 
WASHINGTON MEN'S LINEUPS
 
Varsity Eight
Cox: Nick Dunlop (Psychology)
Stroke: Darcy McCluskey (Environmental Studies)
7: Povilas Juskevicius (Pre-Major/Informatics)
6: Logan Ullrich (Food Systems, Nutrition & Health)
5: Jack Walkey (International Security)
4: Joel Cullen (Postbaccalaureate Study)
3: Robert Pluijmert (Biochemistry)
2: Cameron Tasker (Political Economy)
Bow: Max Heid (Finance)
 
Second Varsity Eight
Cox: Kieran Joyce (Pre-Major/Business)
Stroke: Max Mason (Economics)
7: Blake Vogel (Real Estate)
6: Gus Altucher (Philosophy)
5: Ethan Blight (Food Systems, Nutrition & Health)
4: Pablo Matan (Philosophy; Political Economy)
3: Luke Henry (Real Estate)
2: Marius Ahlsand (Pre-Major/Political Economy)
Bow: Giulio Acernese (Political Economy)
 
Varsity Four
Stroke: Louis Gallia IV (Real Estate)
3: Parker Raines (Pre-Major/Informatics)
2: Alex Gonin (Pre-Major/Biology)
Bow: Quinn Hall (Pre-Major/Informatics)
Cox: Casey Neumann (Political Science)
 
Third Varsity Eight
Cox: Zach Casler (MS in Information Management)
Stroke: Michael Thiers (International Security)
7: Harry Fitzpatrick (Pre-Major/Communication)
6: Ben Shortt (Pre-Major/Economics)
5: Adam Krol (Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology)
4: Archie Drummond (Global and Regional Studies)
3: Jonathan Wang-Norderud (Pre-Major/Economics)
2: Nils Vorberg (International Studies; Political Economy)
Bow: Blake Bradshaw (Geography)
 
Freshman Eight
Cox: Tess Kadian (Journalism)
Stroke: Max Taylor (Pre-Major/Political Economy)
7: Nick Smyth (Pre-Major/Communication)
6: Ryan Martin (Pre-Major/Industrial Design)
5: Luke Collins (Pre-Major/History)
4: Marc Tennesen (Pre-Major/Chemistry)
3: Ethan Walsh (Pre-Major/Biology)
2: Ryan Smith (Pre-Major/Economics)
Bow: Finn Griskauskas (Political Science)