Sarasota In Our Sights

ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – UCF Rowing welcomes the league to the Sunshine State for the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship. Seven squads will race at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota on Saturday.

The defending back-to-back champions begin the quest for a third straight conference crown at 11 a.m.
 
The American Digital Network will provide live coverage of the rowing championship. The championship central includes links to the schedule, venue information and the championship program. The American champion will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships on May 26-28 in West Windsor, N.J.
 
The Knights captured the program's first league title at the 2015 championship in West Windsor, N.J. UCF earned a second trophy at the 2016 championship in Sacramento, Calif. Since joining The American prior to the 2014 season, the Knights have not finished lower than second in the team standings.
 
With a title on the line, the Black and Gold return to Nathan Benderson Park for the second time this season. The Knights competed at the Sunshine State Invitational March 31-April 1. UCF's Varsity Eight picked up a pair of wins, leading the squad to The American Boat of the Week honors on April 4.
 
In addition to its April nod, the Varsity Eight was also named Boat of the Week on March 21. The squad has won its event five times this season and never finished lower than third while racing Top 25 opponents at the Longhorn Invite, Lake Natoma Invite and Clemson Invitational.

The Second Varsity Eight squad has four event victories on the season, including one at Nathan Benderson Park. After finishing third on the opening day, the boat dropped its time by more than eight seconds to post an open-water win over the field, which included Tulsa.

The Knights return to action after a weekend off. In its last outing, UCF hosted Miami on April 29, and won all four events on Lake Pickett by open water lengths.  
 
Nathan Benderson Park will be a popular site over the next five years. Following The American Championships in 2017, the site will host the 2018, 2021 and 2022 NCAA Championships. UCF will serve as the host institution and all three NCAA Divisions will compete at Nathan Benderson Park.
 
Race Schedule
11 a.m. – Third Varsity Four
11:10 a.m. – Second Varsity Four
11:20 a.m. – Third Varsity Eight
11:30 a.m. – Varsity Four
11:40 a.m. – Second Varsity Eight
11:50 a.m. – Varsity Eight
12:45 p.m. – Awards Ceremony