PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots women's rowing team travels back to Lake Natoma this weekend for the 2019 West Coast Conference Championships, which are scheduled for Saturday morning at the Sacramento State Aquatics Center. This is the third time this spring competing on Lake Natoma for the Pilots, including most recently at the 2019 WIRA Championships.
 
The WCC Championships feature four races, with three of those events counting towards each team's point total in the chase for the cup.
 
"The team is focused on the championships this Saturday," Portland head coach Pasha Spencer said. "It's been a great year and as a program we have gained more momentum and depth. I know the seniors will be leading the charge."
 
The day begins with the second fours at 8:40 a.m., and Portland will have Sage Iona as the coxswain and Katie Bayford rowing stroke.
 
At 9 a.m., the Pilots put their varsity four on the water. The crew is coming off a fourth-place finish in the grand finals at the WIRA's, and they'll have Lauren Formigli as the stroke and Allison Pallazzotto as the coxswain. Portland's varsity four claimed a bronze medal at the WCC's last year to match the program's best finish ever in that event.
 
The second eight is scheduled to race at 9:20 a.m, with Emma Papenhausen in the coxswain seat and Acacia Welsford rowing stroke. The Pilots advanced to the grand finals at the WIRA Championships two weeks ago.
 
Finishing the day in the championships' signature event are the varsity eights, who are set to hit the water at 9:40 a.m. Portland is coxswained by senior and Sacramento native Miranda Reyes. The Pilots will have Lauren Jesse as the stroke, and the crew also features 2018 All-WCC selection Veronica Nicacio. The varsity eight also qualified for the grand finals at the WIRA's, and they set a program event record at the Husky Open in March.
 
The Pilots are coming off three straight fourth-place finishes at the WCC Championships. Gonzaga is the four-time defending WCC Champion.
 
2019 West Coast Rowing Championships - Lake Natoma, Calif.
8:40 a.m. – Second Four
9:00 a.m. – Varsity Four
9:20 a.m. – Second Eight
9:40 a.m. – Varsity Eight
 
Portland Line-ups
Varsity Eight: Miranda Reyes (coxswain), Lauren Jesse, Catherine Watson, Desi Petrova, Veronica Nicacio, Avery Romano, Brooklin Gomez, Tess Pritchett, Jacquelyn Bass
 
Second Eight: Emma Papenhausen (coxswain), Acacia Welsford, Karen Gonzalez-Yanez, Brianne Zbylicki, Megan Medalia, Lilly Landers, Megan Del Pozzi, Meredith Marcinko, Audrey Shellum-Gonzalez,
 
Varsity Four: Allison Pallazzotto (coxswain), Lauren Formigli, Maddie Olson, Lauren Yee, Amanda Hernandez Michalski
 
Second Four: Sage Iona (coxswain), Katie Bayford, Joselene Piedra Rodriguez, Katelyn Barney, Reeca Bardon