Texas captured four of the five point-earning races, capped by a varsity eight grand final where the Longhorns posted the day's best time of 6:38.0 on the 1,940-meter course. Kansas won the other race, the novice eight.

Kansas State grabbed second place in the team standings by placing second in the varsity eight grand final in 6:55.2, 11.3 seconds ahead of third-place Kansas in 7:06.5.

In arguably the best race of the day, the Wildcat varsity four had an outstanding performance and just missed catching the Longhorn varsity four in the last 500 meters. After being down with open water early, the young Wildcats, lead by coxswain Stephanie Riegle, started its sprint early in an effort to overtake Texas. In a close finish, K-State came up short by 3.9 seconds, crossing the finish in 7:55.0.

"We knew that we had to go after them," said junior coxswain Stephanie Riegle. "We decided all together, right before the sprint that we had to go right then. So we picked it up and took our seats back and we almost had them."

"I'm really proud of them," said Wildcat head coach Jenny Hale. "Without a doubt, the best rowing that we saw today from our team was the varsity four."

During the morning session, the Wildcat varsity eight won its heat in 6:50.0 over Drake, 6:55.2, in the closest varsity eight heat. Kansas bettered Tulsa by 14.8 seconds and Texas beat Baylor going away.

Kansas State managed to clock the fastest second-place time in both the first novice eight and the second varsity eight heats to advance to the grand final of each race in the afternoon. The 'Cats edged Tulsa in both cases.

This is the third year of the Big 12 Invitational Regatta, which was first hosted by Kansas State in 2001. The regatta returns to Manhattan next year with hopes that rowing might become a Big 12-sanctioned sport with the addition of a varsity team or two, making the event an official Big 12 Championship.

"We are looking forward to maybe Oklahoma, maybe Baylor adding (women's rowing as a varsity sport) in the next couple years and then getting an official Big 12 Championship," Hale said.

The Wildcats will take a week off before returning to action at the Lexus Central/South Division Sprints in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on May 17-18. The event is the held to qualify for the NCAA Championships on May 29-June 1 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Final Team Points- 1. Texas, 55; 2. Kansas State, 43; 3. Kansas, 40.

First Novice Eights (Heat 1)- 1. Kansas, 6:57.94; 2. Tulsa, 7:38.24.

First Novice Eights (Heat 2)- 1. Texas, 6:54.6; 2. Kansas State (Cox: Stephanie Black; 8: Stephanie Nichols; 7: Leslie Burgdorfer; 6: Megan Henson; 5: Erin Erhart; 4: Jaynann Dumler; 3: Kristin Alstatt; 2: Trina Zarnowski; Bow: Amanda May), 7:15.7; 3. Baylor, 8:05.11.

Second Varsity Eights (Heat 1)- 1. Kansas, 6:51.3; 2. Tulsa, 7:26.3.

Second Varsity Eights (Heat 2)- 1. Texas, 6:52.01; 2. Kansas State (Cox: Elane Walker; 8: Amiee Finkbeiner; 7: Amy Herrmann; 6: Linzi Hauldren; 5: Angela Murray; 4: Sarah Meitl; 3: Jessica Carmer; 2: Jamie Holt; Bow: Megan Hauver), 7:00.1; 3. Drake, 7:39.2.

First Varsity Eights (Heat 1)- 1. Kansas, 6:49.0; 2. Tulsa, 7:03.8.

First Varsity Eights (Heat 2)- 1. Kansas State (Cox: Brandy Sherwood; 8: Talara Wait; 7: Lori Holcomb; 6: Lara Schrock; 5: Susie Truax; 4: Alyssa Adams; 3: Courtney Franssen; 2: Carissa Land; Bow: Katy Bockelman), 6:50.0; 2. Drake, 6:55.2.

First Varsity Eights (Heat 3)- 1. Texas, 6:43.0; 2. Baylor, 7:31.9.

Finals (p.m.)

First Novice Fours- 1. Texas, 8:20.7; 2. Drake, 8:34.9; 3. Baylor, 8:51.8.

Second Novice Eights- 1. Texas, 7:10.2; 2. Kansas, 7:20.9.

First Varsity Fours- 1. Texas, 7:51.1; 2. Kansas State (Cox: Stephanie Riegle; 4: Hannah Langenwalter; 3: Katie Baxter; 2: Renee Ecklund; Bow: Emily Cummings), 7:55.0; 3. Baylor, 8:21.3.

First Novice Eights (Petite)- 1. Tulsa, 7:56.5; 2. Baylor, 8:06.4.

First Novice Eights (Grand)- 1. Kansas, 7:04.09; 2. Texas, 7:08.8; 3. Kansas State (Cox: Stephanie Black; 8: Stephanie Nichols; 7: Leslie Burgdorfer; 6: Megan Henson; 5: Erin Erhart; 4: Jaynann Dumler; 3: Kristin Alstatt; 2: Trina Zarnowski; Bow: Amanda May), 8:09.6.

Second Varsity Eights (Petite)- 1. Tulsa, 7:19.8; 2. Drake, 7:29.3.

Second Varsity Eights (Grand)- 1. Texas, 6:47.7; 2. Kansas, 7:01.2; 3. Kansas State (Cox: Elane Walker; 8: Amiee Finkbeiner; 7: Amy Herrmann; 6: Linzi Hauldren; 5: Angela Murray; 4: Sarah Meitl; 3: Jessica Carmer; 2: Jamie Holt; Bow: Megan Hauver), 7:10.9.

First Varsity Eights (Petite)- 1. Tulsa, 6:52.71; 2. Drake, 6:56.3; 3. Baylor, 8:04.9.

First Varsity Eights (Grand)- 1. Texas, 6:38.0; 2. Kansas State (Cox: Brandy Sherwood; 8: Talara Wait; 7: Lori Holcomb; 6: Lara Schrock; 5: Susie Truax; 4: Alyssa Adams; 3: Courtney Franssen; 2: Carissa Land; Bow: Katy Bockelman), 6:55.2; 3. Kansas, 7:06.5.