INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Mercyhurst University women's rowing team has earned a berth to compete in the 2013 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships. The championships will be held from May 31 to June 2 at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Lakers are advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championships, as a team, for the third consecutive year and fourth time in the last five seasons. Last season, Mercyhurst finished fourth at Lake Mercer, N.J., finishing behind Humboldt State, who won the 2012 National Championship, Western Washington, and Nova Southeastern.

At the 2011 NCAA Rowing National Championships on Lake Natoma in Sacramento, California, Mercyhurst finished as the runners-up to then-seven-time defending national champion Western Washington.

In 2010, the Lakers varsity eight captured the national championship after earning an at-large bid.  In 2009, Mercyhurst fell just short of its second national team championship and placed second to Western Washington. 

The Lakers were also the team runner-up in 2005 after winning the school's first-ever National Championship in 2004.

The team championship is composed of four teams and each team is required to field one boat of eight rowers and one boat of four rowers. The teams selected were Barry University, Mercyhurst University, Nova Southeastern, and Western Washington.

In addition, two at-large varsity eight boats from institutions not represented in the team competition were selected. The two schools selected were UC San Diego and Central Oklahoma.

The championships will be held May 31 to June 2 at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis with Notre Dame and the Indiana Sports Corporation serving as hosts.