GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Navy women’s rowing team started its first day of competition at the 2016 NCAA Championships on Friday with a pair of races on Lake Natoma at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center. Taking on a 22-team field, the Mids raced the 2,000-meter course in varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four events.

Navy’s first varsity eight crew was first on water on Friday morning with action in the fourth heat. Racing versus a field of six, the Mids came in sixth place with a time of 7:03.525 that trailed Rhode Island by 7.858 seconds for fifth. In the afternoon’s second repechage, Navy turned in a similar time at 7:01.587. The first varsity crew will move onto C/D semifinal action on Saturday at 8:24 a.m. local time (11:24 a.m. ET).

In second varsity eight action, Navy’s crew finished fifth in its heat coming in behind Michigan for fourth, but ahead of Jacksonville. The Mids finished their heat with a time of 7:10.746, while the Dolphins clocked in 7:33.033. Navy’s next action of the day was in the second repechage. Racing against a seven team field, the Mids recorded a time of 7:07.678 that was sixth-best. The second crew will be back in action on Saturday morning in the C/D semifinal at 9:00 a.m. local time (12:00 p.m. ET).

Navy’s best result of the day came in the varsity four race when the Mids finished fifth in their heat, but 19^th overall ahead of Jacksonville, UCF and Rhode Island in the entire slate of four heats. Specifically, in heat three, Navy turned in a time of 7:57.447 to best Jacksonville (8:28.798). In the first repechage, the Mids’ four crew was once again the highlight team. Navy ranked fifth of seven teams at 7:54.930 to finish between Southern Cal (7:45.363) and Gonzaga (7:58.742). Overall amongst the 14 four-person crews in the repechage action, Navy turned in the ninth-best time. The Mids will race on Saturday in the C/D semifinal at 10:00 a.m. (1:00 p.m. ET).

Results

Varsity 8

Heat 4
Princeton – 6:20.824
Virginia – 6:21.565
Washington – 6:25.645
Washington State – 6:41.118
Rhode Island – 6:55.667
Navy – 7:03.525 

Repechage 2
Washington – 6:23.947
Syracuse – 6:27.139
Duke – 6:32.143
Yale – 6:33.087
Northeastern – 6:37.604
Central Florida – 6:40.324
Navy – 7:01.587
Up next ... Semifinal C/D, Saturday, 8:24 a.m. PT 

Second Varsity 8

Heat 3
Ohio State – 6:28.753
Princeton – 6:37.191
Duke – 6:41.534
Michigan – 6:43.168
Navy – 7:10.746
Jacksonville – 7:33.033 

Repechage 2
Yale – 6:43.218
Michigan – 6:46.396
Indiana – 6:50.533
Syracuse – 6:57.283
Northeastern – 7:03.871
Navy – 7:07.678
Central Florida – 7:12.031

Up next … Semifinal C/D, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. PT

Varsity 4

Heat 3
Virginia – 7:17.117
Michigan – 7:24.623
Princeton – 7:36.041
Syracuse – 7:38.819
Navy – 7:57.447
Jacksonville – 8:28.798 

Repechage 1
Brown – 7:28.238
Wisconsin – 7:29.469
Syracuse – 7:38.280
Southern Cal – 7:45.363
Navy – 7:54.930
Gonzaga – 7:58.742
Central Florida – 8:14.096

Up next … Semifinal C/D, Saturday, 10:00 a.m. PT