OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (SMU) - SMU rowing won its third consecutive American Athletic Conference title with a clean sweep of all four races on Sunday, May 14 at Melton Lake.
 
The 12^th-ranked Mustangs came into the American Rowing Championship as the No. 1 seed in each of the four races. They started the day with a victory in the exhibition second varsity four and came away with a 9.5 second margin, crossing the line in 7:31.057.
 
In the first NCAA race of the day, the Mustangs prevailed over second-place UCF in the varsity four. The Mustangs finished in 7:20.347, good for an 8.7 second victory.
 
During the second varsity eight, the Mustangs cruised to their largest victory of the day. SMU finished in 6:29.220, 18 seconds faster than second-place Tulsa.
 
The Mustangs won their fourth consecutive victory in the first varsity eight. This time the Mustangs bested Tulsa by 10.6 seconds to clinch the conference title.
 
Kim Cupini and her staff were named coaching staff of the year by the American Athletic Conference. Five Mustangs were selected first team all-conference and three Mustangs were selected to the second team.
 
With the victory, the Mustangs earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Championship running May 26-28 in Pennsauken, New Jersey.
 
Final Team Scores

SMU	168
Tulsa	140
UCF	112
Temple	108
Sac State	72
ODU	48

 
Coaching Staff of the Year
SMU
 
First-Team All-Conference
Emma Leavens, UCF
Sofia Bespalova, Old Dominion
Sydnie Bain, Sacramento State
Emily Baker, SMU
Daisy Butterworth, SMU
Alice Fahey, SMU
Megan Hewison, SMU
Sasha Radovanovic, SMU
Gemma Wollenschaeger, Temple
Isabella Musollino, Tulsa
Anna Shaw, Tulsa
 
Second-Team All-Conference
Anna Kayser Gallego, UCF
Emily Puia, UCF
Deanna Frack, Sacramento State
Victoria Franklin, SMU
Kate Hadley, SMU
Sydney Suntrup, SMU
Olivia Elliott, Temple
Maggie Page, Temple
Emily Bell, Tulsa
Johanna Kristof, Tulsa
Karen Undset, Tulsa