LAKE NATOMA, Calif. --- The Portland Pilots women's rowing team officially launches the 2017 season this weekend when they travel south to the Sacramento State Invitational, which is scheduled for Saturday morning. The Pilots will send five crews to Lake Natoma, which is the same site as the West Coast Conference Championships in May.
 
"This is our first appearance at the Sacramento Invitational," Portland head coach Pasha Spencer said. "We had a long winter of training on land and we're looking forward to racing on the same race course as the WCC Championships."
 
The Invitational begins at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday morning with the second eights. The varsity eights follow at 8:35 a.m., and the novice eights are scheduled for 8:50 a.m.
 
Next up is the fours, with the varsity crews going first at 9:45 a.m. Portland's second fours conclude the day at 10:15 a.m.
 
Also racing at the Sacramento State Invitational are crews from Sacramento State, Saint Mary's, Occidental, Humboldt State, and UC San Diego.
 
The Pilots are now in their sixth year as a program, and are under the guidance of Spencer, who's in her fourth year at the helm.
 
PORTLAND'S PROJECTED LINE-UPS
Varsity Eight: Miranda Reyes (coxswain), Veronica Nicacio, Brianne Zyblicki, Hannah Burns, Lauren Reid, Melanie Martinell, Acacia Wellsford, Jacquelyn Bass, Lauren Jesse
 
Second Eight: Alice Chang (coxswain), Maddy Bettinger-Lobash, Sydne Jacoby, Maddie Goodwin, Megan Medalia, Megan Delpozzi, Katie Cram, Courtney Schmidt, Kiva Goodman
 
Novice Eight: Claire McKinnon (coxswain), Claire Hodge, Joselene Piedra, Reeca Bardon, Mariah Graham, Becca Slough, Jules Kampe, Marissa Frazzini, Amanda Michalski
 
Varsity Four: Alice Chang (coxswain), Celina Perez, Katie Cram, Jess Mann, Karen Gonzalez-Yanez
 
Second Four: Bridget McGinnis (coxswain), Kiva Goodman, Catherine Pennie, Kaitlin Yap, Alyssa Soete