In its first official regatta of the year, the Michigan rowing team surprised itself and its competition.

Michigan coach Mark Rothstein entered two boats in the women's Championship Eight division at Boston's 44th annual Head of the Charles Regatta, one of the most prestigious in the country, and both finished in the top 20.

“The most exciting thing was the second eight, who finished 19th,” Rothstein said. “They had a really strong finish, and even beat some teams' first boats.”

The Wolverines' second eight placed first among all NCAA second eights, meaning the boat will receive an automatic bid to the Regatta next year.

The first eight finished 12th, receiving an automatic bid too, but finished much lower than expected. Last year, Michigan’s first eight captured first place in the Championship Eight division.

“Finishing 12th was not where we wanted to finish, but looking at the times I felt better, because we were only four seconds out of eighth place,” Rothstein said.

In the Championship Four division, the Wolverines placed 13th, and seventh among collegiate teams.

The Head of the Charles featured several powerhouse programs, including defending national champion Yale.

“It was great to get out and line up against great competition today,” Rothstein said. “We started behind the Great Britain Olympic Boat and started in front of Yale. Being around that speed is going to help us down the road.”

The Wolverines don't race in any other major competitions until spring, so Rothstein is shifting the team's focus towards preparation for the upcoming season.

“This time of the year we are constantly changing lineups and looking at different combinations,” Rothstein said. “Fall rowing is like a preseason, but it’s really important for our development. We learned a lot from the race, and we are in a good place for where our team is now.”