The Kansas Crew, a club team made up of Kansas University students, won a national championship in women’s lightweight four at the ARCA regatta last weekend in Oklahoma City.

KU’s squad of Kate Marples, Cassie Johnson, Aleeza Souvannakhot, Kelci Ankerholz and Abby Long placed first in 8:51.0. Michigan State was second in 8:57 and Georgia Tech third in 9:02.

“They are a great group. It’s an excellent payoff for the team that put in so much work to be successful,” coach Jeremy Struemph said. “We start out in August. Attendance rate (at practice) for that boat would average 98 percent over a nine-month period. They’ve been finished with school for two weeks and still practiced every morning. It’s a dedicated group.”

The men’s varsity four (Neil Likens, Phil Barone, Scott Ogilvie, Richard Linkesch and driver Kylinn Gerstner) won the D-Final. The men’s novice four (Nathan Kautz, Brandon Beckner, Dan Casey, John Dennis and driver Olivia Chao) placed ninth.

The crew consists of nonscholarship athletes. The club has been in existence since 1977, Struemph said.