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As the season went on, the Nova Southeastern University varsity four felt winning a national rowing championship was a real possibility.

It didn't matter that no boat in the program's history had won an NCAA title. The women weren't thinking about the past.

At every race, they got stronger and began beating boats that had previously been better. It all culminated on Sunday.

The Sharks, from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., won the Division II varsity four NCAA championship on the Cooper River in Camden, beating out Western Washington, Mercyhurst and Philadelphia University in the 2,000-meter race.

"I think toward the end of the season, we really started to see how well we were going to do," said Egg Harbor Township High School graduate Lauren McElhenny, a senior, said by telephone. "Once we got into the big races, we saw how well we were doing against other teams."

In one of the biggest regattas of the year, the varsity four took second at the Dad Vail Regatta, which is an open competition. The NCAA championships is an invitational-only event.

The championship boat consisted of coxswain and Oakcrest High School graduate Heather Clayton, McElhenny and teammates Claire Kurlychek, Ashley Lofria and Jessica Sutter. They won the race in 7 minutes, 53.04 seconds, four seconds ahead of second-place Western Washington.

In the varsity eight, Nova Southeastern took second in the petite, or consolation, final with MeganKate McDonald (Egg Harbor Township). Ohio State's varsity four with coxswain Kristin DiJosie won the Division I petite final and finished seventh overall.

"When it was over, I thought, 'That's how it should be,' " Clayton, a freshman, said by phone. "I thought we were strong enough to win. I would have been surprised if we didn't."

In the varsity-four final, the Sharks jumped out early and held a two-second lead at 1,000 meters, the halfway point. The boat picked it up even more in the second half of the race.

"We've been here six years running and we've had a lot of good performances," Nova Southeastern coach John Gartin said. "We've never come home with hardware. This is cliche, but it's a huge monkey off our back."

Clayton, who had served as a coxswain on the river while in high school, found great conditions on the water Sunday. There was a slight tailwind at the beginning of the race and the water was smooth.

The Sharks didn't have to make too many adjustments and pushed to the end until the horn blared.

"It was pretty much ideal conditions," Clayton said.

The team spent a few hours celebrating but the went their separate ways.

McElhenny flew back to Florida to pick up her car at school. Clayton went home to Mullica Township with her parents. Other teammates got cheesesteaks.

"I think the celebration is an on-going process," Gartin said. "I think we are going to relish it into the new year."

E-mail Susan Lulgjuraj:

slulgjuraj@pressofac.com

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