Blaine Newnham / Times associate editor
New faces of Huskies crew are delivering

Brodie Buckland is just one of several new members on UW men's varsity boat.

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Five hundred meters into the opening regatta this season in San Diego, the Huskies were more than a boat length behind Cal, flailing in the wind, never to catch up.

"You know what that meant," said Bob Ernst, the Washington coach. "Natural selection. There's no room for that kind of performance at Washington."

Heartsick, Ernst threw every seat open for audition.

"I feel so responsible to this program," he said. "We don't have any excuses. We have great athletes, and I have to do something with them."

A year ago, the Huskies finished second in the IRA national championship to Harvard, beating Cal for a second time in a season, realizing an effort to end the Bears' four-year national domination.

"The old boys were not about to let California set the standard for collegiate crew in this country," Ernst said.

The old boys were the ones who, in another century, helped the Huskies win Olympic and national championships.

When it became apparent that Washington was going to have to offer scholarships to compete with Cal, the old boys came up with $170,000 a year.

The proof was in the pudding, with UW winning not only the Pac-10 title, but at Henley later in the year.

And with seven rowers returning, expectations were high for this season.
 
But the Huskies lost badly in San Diego, and as Ernst had them racing against each other almost every day the week of their big race against Wisconsin, they lost that one, too.

They plunged to No. 7 in a national poll of coaches as Ernst was finding answers.

By the time they left for the Bay Area and the dual race with Cal, five of the rowers from the junior-varsity boat in San Diego were now in the varsity boat — including Brodie Buckland, an unassuming sophomore from Olympia who was stroking what might turn out to be the best college crew in the country.

In fact, the stern half of the boat was new, junior Greg King at coxswain, Buckland at stroke, sophomore Scott Schmidt at No. 7 and junior Scott Gault at No. 6.

Only junior Giuseppe Lanzone has been in the varsity boat all season. This week, Ernst made one more shuffle at No. 3, replacing Martin Rogulia with Dusan Nikolic for this Saturday's Windermere Cup race against Navy and an Italian team.

"I would have laughed at anyone who said we would be with the varsity," said Buckland of himself, King and Schmidt. "We didn't have that as a goal. It might sound corny, but there is a difference between knowing your path, and walking your path."

They walked and rowed their way onto the team, repeatedly defeating experienced teammates in Lake Washington match races and given their chance in the dual against Cal, won by four seconds.

Buckland beat out Ian Sawyer, who stroked the varsity last year at Henley. Schmidt ultimately replaced Rogulia, Gault taking the seat from Marko Petrovic. Kyle Larson lost his seat to Nikolic.

The point to all of this is that Washington has more depth than at anytime since Ernst has coached the men.

"Have a bad day," he said, "and you can lose your seat."

Ernst said Buckland and Schmidt, sophomores who rowed on a mediocre freshman crew last year, seem to set the table perfectly for the power of the boat, 6-foot-9 Brett Newlin at No. 5, Lanzone at No. 4, Nikolic at No. 3, Sam Burns at No. 2 and Andy Derrick at the bow.

"I'd love to stroke that boat," said Ernst. "Those big guys are phenomenal. Stroke might be the easiest job in the boat."

While Washington started using parts of scholarships to lure rowers to Washington, especially those from foreign countries, Buckland and Schmidt aren't receiving aid and weren't highly recruited. Neither was Gault.

"I finally found a sport that fit my physique," said the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Buckland. "Rowing has given me a positive outlet for a lot of energy I have."

Buckland studies history and Latin with grades closer to a 4.0 than a 3.0. He started rowing in high school because a house-sitter — his parents were away on vacation — suggested he should.

"I didn't really consider him at the start of the season, but he is the best person for the position," Ernst said. "The door opened up, and he stepped through it."

Ernst has his sights set on a national title.

"A year ago, I was pleased to finish second. This year I will be disappointed," he said.

All of which is a long way from the scuttling that took place in San Diego, and the strange new faces that have followed.

Blaine Newnham: 206-464-2364 or bnewnham@seattletimes.com