BELLINGHAM, Wash. – The Western Washington University women’s rowing team was well represented on the 2017 All-Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association team and head coach John Fuchs has been named the WIRA Women’s co-Coach of the Year.

Junior stroke Chloe Burns (Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington) and sophomore coxswain Giselle Kiraly (Vancouver, WA/Columbia River) were first-team selections after leading the Varsity 8+ to a dominating victory at the WIRA Championships. Junior Mary Harper (Seattle, WA/Ingraham) was a second-team selection while helping lead the Varsity 4+ to the victory.

Fuchs, in his 19th year at the helm of the Western women’s program, was named the WIRA Women’s co-Coach of the Year sharing the honor with Pacific Lutheran’s Andy Foltz. Fuchs was also recognized as the WIRA Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2011, and is a three-time CRCA NCAA II National Coach of the Year.

The All-WIRA First Team honor is awarded to two athletes, by nomination of their coaches, from the medaling boats in the Varsity Eight events. The All-WIRA Second Team honor is awarded to an athlete, by the nomination of their coaches, from medaling crews in the 2nd Varsity Eight, Lightweight Varsity Eight, Varsity Four and Lightweight Varsity Four events.

The Vikings won the Grand Final in all three events they entered at the 2017 WIRA held April 29-30 on Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif. For its efforts, the WWU was awarded the WIRA Team Efficiency Trophy for the success of the number of races entered vs. placement in those races.

Overall the Vikings won 7 of 8 races in the D2/D3/Club division of the WIRA Championships, while winning the Grand Final in the Varsity 8+, Varsity 4+ and the Novice 4+. WWU’s second entry in the Varsity 4+ won Saturday’s Petite Final after narrowly missing qualification for Sunday’s Grand Final.

The Vikings are in final preparations for the NCAA Rowing Championships that will be held this weekend (Friday-Sunday, May 26-28) on Lake Mercer in West Windsor, New Jersey. WWU is making its 16th appearance at the national championships in the 17 years of the event that combines the Division I, II and III regattas to crown national champions. WWU finished 3rd last season, and will be going after the program’s eighth national championship (2005-2011).

The team NCAA Division II Championships is composed of four teams that will compete for the team title – WWU, Mercyhurst, Central Oklahoma and UC San Diego – while Florida Tech and Barry will compete in just the Eight competition.

WWU is scheduled to race in the first heat out of lane three in both the Varsity 8 (11:24 am ET/8:24 am PT) and Varsity 4 (11:48 am ET/8:48 am PT) on the first day of completion (Friday, May 26). The winners of each heat advance directly to the Grand Finals held Sunday morning, while the repechage will be held Saturday morning.

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