UCF Set For 2021 American Championship

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – When the UCF rowing team lines up on Lake Melton Saturday morning, it will be nearly two years to the day since the Knights raced for a conference championship.
 
The last time the Black and Gold rowed in an American Athletic Conference Championship regatta, the Knights claimed their fifth-consecutive league title - the 2019 championship in Oklahoma City.
 
Fast forward to this weekend. The five-time defending champions enter the meet in unfamiliar territory – as the underdogs.
 
The Knights are favored in just one race – the Varsity Four. The Varsity Eight is seeded second while the Second Varsity Eight is seeded third.
 
UCF is one of five squads competing for the 2021 AAC title. SMU, who is seeded first in both eights, enters the weekend ranked No. 12 in the USRowing/Pocock CRCA poll. The Mustangs finished as runner-up at the 2019 championship. Tulsa, who finished second in the league from 2015-18 and third in 2019, Temple and Sacramento State, will also line up on Sunday.
 
Racing begins at 9 a.m. and will air live on ESPN+. Live results will be available here.
  
While Sunday features four races, the 2021 team championship will be determined by the points accrued in the three NCAA events: Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8 and Varsity 4. The teams will also compete in the Second Varsity 4.
 
The American's team champion will earn automatic qualification to the 2021 NCAA Rowing Championships, to be held May 28-30 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla.
 
Order of Events
Second Varsity 4 – 9 a.m. ET
Varsity 4 – 9:15 a.m. ET
Second Varsity 8 – 9:30 a.m. ET
Varsity 8 – 9:45 a.m. ET
 
* Awards ceremony approximately 45 minutes after last race

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