PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Pilots women's rowing team is set to begin their season this weekend at the PLU Invite in Lakewood, Wash. The regatta will take place on Saturday, March 20 with races beginning at 9 a.m. Races featuring host PLU are expected to be livestreamed at this link.

"I'm really pleased with our spring schedule," Pilots first-year head coach Gulliver Scott said. "We've had to make some modifications, of course, but we were able to keep some of our traditional regattas, and we'll see two conference opponents before WCCs, which is great."

Portland will host the Portland Invite on April 3 at Vancouver Lake in Vancouver, Wash. The team will visit Gonzaga on April 10 at Silver Lake and then welcome Seattle U to Vancouver Lake on April 17. The West Coast Conference Championships are currently scheduled for Saturday, May 15 at a site yet to be determined.

Portland was picked to finish fourth in the conference in this year's WCC Preseason Poll. The Pilots also had two rowers named to the 2021 All-WCC Preseason Rowing Team: Maddie Olson and Tess Pritchett. Although the 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both rowers were key members of the 2019 squad. Olson competed in the varsity four, while Pritchett rowed in the varsity eight. Almost the entire rowing roster opted into competing this season.

"This will be a season unlike any other and our first goal is to keep everyone healthy so we can successfully compete at all of our races," Scott said. "Given the long layoff and everything else that is going on, we are really focused on realizing our potential and maximizing our speed on the racecourse. If we're able to do that then I think we'll be in a place to achieve the results we're looking for."

Scott was hired on The Bluff in September of last year. He previously served as an assistant coach at Saint Mary's College from 2017-18 before being promoted to associate head coach in 2019. During his time at Saint Mary's, the Gaels took first in the women's collegiate eight+ and collegiate four+ at the 2019 Head of the Lagoon and won the varsity eight at the 2019 UP Invite.

Scott also had a decorated career as a high school coach with Berkeley High School in the Bay Area. He served as an assistant coach for the men's team from 2006-12 and as the women's head coach from 2012-17. He led the women's team to numerous medals at the National and Southwest Regional Championships. Scott is rearing to get the season started.

"Year One has gone really well thanks to the group that we have here," Scott said. "They are a motivated bunch and have made a lot of sacrifices to be here and train.  They've done a great job of following our COVID protocols and I'm really happy for everyone – especially our seniors.  They have put in a lot of hard work and have earned the opportunity to compete this season."

PLU Invite
American Lake (Lakewood, Wash.)
March 20, 2021

UP Race Times 
9:00 AM: 1V8 vs UPS and SU
9:20 AM: 2V8 vs SU
9:50 AM: V4 vs UPS, SPU

11:10 AM: 1V8 vs PLU
11:30 AM: 2V8 vs PLU
11:40 AM: V4 vs PLU, SPU