By Zach Ruby

The Daily

The Husky rowers will be defending our home waters against rival Washington State University tomorrow.

“They’re the Cougars,” said women’s rowing coach Bob Ernst. “We gotta beat them.”

The stage is set for a showdown on Montlake Cut tomorrow at 9 a.m.

After winning the San Diego Crew Classic, the UW women rowing team has moved up to fourth in the U.S. Rowing/Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Women’s NCAA Division I Varsity Eights Poll. WSU moved up as well, jumping to eighth after finishing third in the San Diego Crew Classic.

The Husky and Cougar women’s crew teams finished in the top three in all of their events at the Classic, with the Huskies winning the women’s varsity and JV events and the Cougars winning the women’s novice race.

“They’re good,” said Ernst. “It’s a huge race.”

The Huskies’ success at the Classic has motivated the UW women’s rowers to work very hard this week.

“They’re doing great,” Ernst said. “They’re working so hard. They’re so happy that they know that they have a chance to be a decent team this year.”

The men’s rowers are also defending Husky home waters against WSU, but the rivalry is not nearly as heated. The men’s varsity boats will not be racing, meaning that UW’s freshman eight will be racing against WSU’s varsity boat.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” freshman stroke Hans Struzyna said. “It’s gonna be a challenge racing their varsity crew.”

Those sentiments were echoed by freshman seventh seat Noah O’Connell.

“We’re pretty excited,” he said.

The race is set to begin with the women’s varsity four-person boats. Eleven races are scheduled for the day, finishing with the men’s varsity four-person boats at 11:10 a.m. The finish line is near the fisheries buildings in south campus.

[Reach reporter Zach Ruby at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.]