PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University women's rowing is ranked ninth in the first USRowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Division I Poll presented by Pocock Racing Shells, the organizations announced.

Washington State's No. 9 preseason ranking marks its highest in a preseason poll since coming in at eighth in 2007. The Cougars are ranked for the 79th-consecutive week, dating back to March 15, 2008.

Five of the Pac-12's seven rowing squads are ranked in the top-20 poll. California is ranked second with 450 votes followed by Washington in fifth with 391 votes, Stanford in eighth with 331 votes, WSU in ninth with 305 votes, and USC in 14th with 143 votes. UCLA also received votes. The defending national champion, Ohio State, is ranked first in the poll with 478 votes.
The 2016 NCAA Women's Rowing Championships will take place May 27-29, at Lake Natoma in Gold River, Calif.

The Cougars compete in their first regatta of the spring season, Friday, March 25, taking on Gonzaga at Silver Lake.
 
Women's NCAA Division I Rankings
Rank Team (First Place Votes) Votes
1. Ohio State (17), 478
2. California (3), 450
3. Brown (1), 438
4. Virginia, 431
5. Washington, 391
6. Yale, 336
7. Texas, 332
8. Stanford, 331
9. Washington State, 305
10. Princeton, 285
11. Michigan, 280
12. Indiana, 219
13. Wisconsin, 191
14. USC, 143
15. Syracuse, 127
16. Harvard, 114
17. Notre Dame, 109
18. Gonzaga, 57
19. Iowa, 46
20. Louisville, 41