ANNAPOLIS, Md. - For the fourth straight year, the Navy women's rowing program will be racing with national glory on the line at the NCAA Championship. Hosted this year in Sarasota, Fla. at Nathan Benderson Park, the 2018 NCAA Championship Regatta will see Navy, the Patriot League Champions, compete as one of 22 teams on the 2,000-meter course beginning on Friday morning with heat races and going through the finals on Sunday.

This will be the sixth NCAA Championship with an expanded field as Navy is one of 11 teams that earned an automatic bid by virtue of winning its conference title. In total, there will be 22 schools competing in each of the three boat classes - varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four.

Friday's action will consist of qualifying heat competitions for the Mids' first and second varsity eight boats, as well as their first varsity four crew. The first varsity eight will take to the water first starting at 8:50 a.m. Less than an hour later, the 2V8 boat will race in heat four at 9:38 a.m. before the Mids' V4 crew races in heat three at 10:02 a.m. Repechage competitions will be held in the afternoon between 2:46 and 3:26 p.m.

Navy's first varsity eight crew will be matched up versus No. 5 Stanford, No. 10 Iowa, No. 13 Southern Cal and No. 17 Washington State, while its junior varsity eight will race against No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Michigan, No. 8 Yale, No. 12 Brown and UCF. The third heat for the varsity four consists of No. 3 Ohio State, No. 8 Yale, No. 10 Iowa, No. 14 Indiana and Jacksonville.

On Saturday, the Mids' three boats will race in either A/B or C/D Semifinals between 8:12 and 10:24 a.m.The top three crews from the A/B semifinals will advance to the Grand Final with the remaining teams heading to the Petite Final. The top three crews from the C/D semifinals will compete in the C final, while the remainder will race in the D final. On Championship Sunday, the A, B, C and D Finals will be held starting at 8:12 a.m. and going through 11:00 a.m.

The three-day event will have both free LIVE VIDEO and LIVE RESULTS available. For all the latest on all the championship action stay tuned in with UCF's CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL.

Navy qualified for competition at the NCAA Championship by earning the automatic bid from the Patriot League. On Friday, May 11, the Mids won their fourth straight league title by finishing first in the first and second varsity eight races. In the final standings, Navy outpointed Boston University, 50-46.

This is the fifth time in program history that Navy has competed at the national championship meet. The team has gone in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Last year in West Windsor, N.J., Navy raced in three D Finals and placed 20th overall as a team. The Mids' V4 crew won its respective D Final to finish in 19th place. The 2V8 and V8 crews placed 20th and 21st overall, respectively. The best finish in program finish was 19th at the 2016 event at Lake Natoma at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.

Boat Lineups

Varsity 8
Cox: Bethany Spangler, Stroke: Caroline Kelly, 7: Mady Malczynski, 6: Megan Hanson, 5: Alexandria Vallancey-Martinson, 4: Grace Lawrence, 3: Emily Krulik, 2: Raye Brackett, Bow: Victoria Meyer

Second Varsity 8
Cox: Elizabeth Drake, Stroke: Julia Bailey, 7: Annie Pentaleri, 6: Giovanna DeVito, 5: Jessica Martin, 4: Brianna Warren, 3: Kanoe Nakoa, 2: Julianna Pereira, Bow: Sam Fox

Varsity 4
Cox: Allie Batten, Stroke: Elizabeth Downing, 3: Clare McCarthy, 2: Maya McPartlin, Bow, Riley Schliem
Race Schedule

Friday (Heats)
V8 - 8:50 AM (Heat 2)
2V8 - 9:38 AM (Heat 4)
V4 - 10:02 AM (Heat 3)

Friday (Repechages)
V8 - 2:46 PM or 2:54 PM
2V8 - 3:02 PM or 3:10 PM
V4 - 3:18 PM or 3:26 PM

Saturday (Semifinals)
V8 - 8:12 - 8:48 AM, 4 races
2V8 - 9:00 - 9:36 AM, 4 races
V4 - 9:48 - 10:24 AM, 4 races

Sunday (Finals)
8:00-11:00 AM, 4 finals per class ... A, B, C, D