Oklahoma City ? Kansas University’s rowing team finished third at the Big 12 Championship on Saturday behind Texas, who swept all the events, and Oklahoma. The Jayhawks were in second place going into the First Varsity Eight, but finished last in that race and allowed Oklahoma, who finished second in the Varsity Eight race, to seal the second place finish in the final standings.

“We didn’t do well in the First Varsity,” said KU coach Rob Catloth. “The Four and the 2V did well.”

The Jayhawks placed second in the Second Varsity Eight and were less than a second behind Texas.

“We were in the lead, but Texas made a move in the last 500 meters, and we couldn’t recover,” Catloth said of the Second Varsity Eight’s performance.

The Jayhawks also finished second in the Varsity Four with a time of 7:44.87, just behind the Longhorns, who finished with a time of 7:41.01.

Kansas did well in the novice races, placing third in both the Second Novice Eight and the First Novice Eight. The First Novice Eight boat was coming off of a victory at Minnesota last weekend.

“The novice did well and held their own,” Catloth said. “Their races just don’t count for very many points. The team had a good showing overall.”

The Jayhawks will compete in the first Conference USA Championship at the South-Central Regional Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on May 15 and 16. Catloth said he hopes to use Saturday’s performance as a springboard to performing well in two weeks.

“If the Four and the 2V perform like they did this weekend and the First Varsity makes some improvements,” Catloth said, “we’ll have a good chance of doing well in Tennessee.”