MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University rowing crew's Varsity 8 received an at-large selection to compete in the NCAA Division II National Championships May 30-June 1 in Indianapolis.
The Buccaneers 8 is one of two at-large selections to compete for its event title at Eagle Creek Park, site of last year's championships. Four teams will compete for the overall title.
"It's a chance that everybody wants to get," Barry senior Kristina Boncheva said.
Central Oklahoma is the other at-large selection in the Varsity 8 race. The four schools that qualified are Humboldt State, Mercyhurst, Nova Southeastern and Western Washington.
"All the work you put in, and there it is," first-year Bucs coach Boban Rankovic said. "The name came on the board, and everybody was really ecstatic."
Last year, Barry finished as the national runner-up in both the overall and Varsity 8 competitions.
"We're ready for the challenge," junior Mandy Carper said. "We're ready to go back to nationals, and take what we left behind."
Finishing second last year has left the Bucs hungry all season.
"It was definitely a motivation that kept us going for the entire year, the entire semester," Boncheva said, "and it's still going more so than ever."
Barry will be competing in Lane 4 at the championships in its first race.