GOLD RIVER, Calif. -- Sacramento State advanced its varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four to grand final events on the first day of the West Coast Conference Championship Friday morning at Lake Natoma.

There are four race categories at the WCC Championship, and Sacramento State finished in the top three in three of those heats to advance to grand final action tomorrow. The team's second varsity four placed fourth in its heat and will compete in a petite final.

Sacramento State is racing at the event for the first time as an affiliate member of the WCC as the team joined the conference prior to this season. Sacramento State has the luxury of competing at its home facility at Lake Natoma.

There are nine rowing programs in the WCC, comprised of five full-time members (Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Diego, Santa Clara) as well as four affiliates in Creighton, Oregon State, Sacramento State and Washington State.

There were two heats of racing for each of the four race categories today, and crews needed to finish in the top three to advance to the grand final. Sacramento State's varsity eight placed second in its heat with a time of 6:48.55, the second varsity eight was third in its heat with a 7:01.09, and the varsity four third with a 7:47.08. Sacramento State's second varsity four placed fourth in its heat.

Race times for the Hornets tomorrow morning:
2V4 petite - 8:00
V4 grand - 8:45
2V8 grand - 9:15
V8 grand - 9:45

A video stream of Saturday's racing will be offered via ESPN+, and live race results will be provided by HereNow for the second day in a row.

All nine schools are competing in each of the four race categories, except Santa Clara did not field a boat in the second varsity four.

Gonzaga is the nine-time defending WCC champion after capturing its 22nd title in 2024 at Lake Natoma. San Diego has won four titles with the last coming in 2014. Oregon State is ranked 20th in the nation in the latest CRCA Coaches Poll, and is the only WCC program with a current national ranking.

The winner of the WCC Championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship. The NCAA selection show is slated for Tuesday, May 20, at 2 p.m. on NCAA.com. The NCAA Championship will take place May 30-June 1 in West Windsor, N.J., at Mercer Lake.

SACRAMENTO STATE LINEUPS

VARSITY EIGHT
cox - Emma Goldsmith, stroke - Kaylee Godwin, 7 - Harper Waring, 6 - Nieka Marais, 5 - Daria Okhremtchuk, 4 - Ella Holmes, 3 - Mackenzie Murray, 2 - Ruth Brooks, bow - Valarie Reed

SECOND VARSITY EIGHT
cox - Corey Pantega, stroke - Katherine Macias, 7 - Britain Fehd, 6 - Amaka Okam, 5 - Madi Smith, 4 - Olivia Zanni, 3 - Nela Stehlik, 2 - Emma Hallums, bow - Gabriella Glaser

VARSITY FOUR
cox - Ella Barrow, stroke - Pearl Gaston, 3 - Bryleigh Nixon, 2 - Lauren Mannerino, bow - Emma Stockton

SECOND VARSITY FOUR
cox - Savannah Keith, stroke - Emily Lopez, 3 - Dailyn Francia, 2 - Eliana Garcia, bow - Emma Doddridge