The University of Alabama women’s rowing team is now ranked No. 8 in the country by the Division I Pocock CRCA Poll. This is the first time in program history the team has broken into the national top 10.

Last weekend, the team handily beat Tennessee, winning three of their four races on Alabama’s senior day. The win boosted their ranking from No. 11 in the country to No. 8.

Senior Arielle Schafer was ecstatic to find her team ranked in single-digits.

“It’s insane because never in my five years did I think this would ever happen,” Schaffer said. "This just proves the fact that the coaching and resources here, the fans, and the support from the athletic department really are the reasons why we were able to have this accomplishment."

Head coach Glenn Putyrae, however, is more determined to maintain the spot in the top 10 than ever.

"Any coach would say it's great to be in this position coming up on the middle of your season, but there's a lot of racing left and really all we've done is put a target on our back," Putyrae said.

The team races again on April 10 in Las Vegas at the Vegas PAC-12 Women’s Invitational, where they will face off against the top five teams in the nation. Getting invited to the tournament is an achievement in itself, and draws attention to the fact that other teams are hungry to race against Alabama.

“The funny thing about racing is anyone can have a good day, and anyone can have a bad day," Schafer said. "It’s really anyone’s game.”

For more information on Alabama Rowing, check out rolltide.com.

2021 Alabama Crimson Tide Record Book

More From Tuscaloosa Thread