The championships (Friday-Sunday, May 28-30) will be held for the third time on Lake Natoma at the CSUS Aquatic Center in Rancho Cordova, Calif.

For the third-consecutive season, the format for the NCAA Rowing Championships will include three separate national championships -- Division I, Division II and Division III. All three championships will take place at the CSUS Aquatic Center, with the Div. III champion being crowned on Saturday, May 29, and both the Div. I and Div. II champions being crowned on Sunday, May 30.

For the Division I championships, the field will include 12 teams which compete in the varsity eight, second varsity eight and varsity four events, and earn points towards a team title. Four institutions not represented in the team competition will compete as at-large selections in the varsity eight, but will not score points toward the team championship. The Div. II championships include four teams and two at-large varsity eight boats, while the Div. III championships include six teams.

The following teams will be represented in the Div. I championships: Brown, Cal, Harvard (defending champion), Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Princeton, Virginia, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin and Yale. The four at-large varsity eight selections are comprised of Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas and USC. Since the advent of the NCAA Women''s Rowing National Championships in 1997, Washington (1997-98, 2001) and Brown (1999-00, 2002) have both claimed three national titles, while Harvard has one championship (2003). Brown, Princeton, Virginia and Washington remain the only Div. I teams to reach the NCAA Championships every year.

The following teams will be represented in the Div. II championships: Western Washington, Barry University, Mercyhurst College and Humboldt State. Each team is required to field one boat of eight rowers and one boat of four rowers. The two at-large varsity eights are comprised of Florida Tech and Nova Southeastern University. UC Davis, which moved to Div. I status this year, won the Div. II titles in 2002 and 2003.

The following six teams will be represented in the Div. III championships: Trinity (Connecticut), Coast Guard, Ithaca, Puget Sound, Smith, and Williams. Colby won last year''s national title while Williams was crowned champion in 2002. Each of the six Div. III teams are required to field two boats of eight rowers and a coxswain. Unlike the Div. I and Div. II regattas, no at-large eights are included in the Div. III championships.

Prior to the 2002 season, only one school was crowned national champion among the three divisions as the regatta did not yet include separate championships for Div. I, Div. II and Div. III.

Sacramento State also hosted the NCAA Women''s Rowing Championships in 1997 and 1999. Tickets for this year''s event can be obtained by calling the Sacramento State athletics ticket office at (916) 278-2222.

Div. I Participants

TEAMS

Brown

California

Harvard

Michigan

Michigan State

Ohio State

Princeton

Virginia

Washington

Washington State

Wisconsin

Yale

AT-LARGE EIGHTS

Notre Dame

Southern California

Tennessee

Texas

Division II Participants

TEAMS

Western Washington

Barry University

Mercyhurst College

Humboldt State

AT-LARGE EIGHTS

Florida Tech

Nova Southeastern University

Division III Participants

Pool A

Trinity (Connecticut)

Pools B and C

Coast Guard

Ithaca

Puget Sound

Smith

Williams