WORCESTER - The Smith College rowing team kicked off its 2025-26 season with a fifth place showing by its varsity eight at the Quinsigamond State Regatta on Saturday morning. 

The Bears top boat placed fifth in the 26-boat collegiate eight in a time of 15:10.8 which was the second fastest Division III team. The second varsity eight recorded a time of 16:01.8 for 10th overall and was the second fastest B boat, while the third varsity eight reached finish line 14th overall in 16:23.6.

"It was a strong start for the team today," said head coach Clare Doyle. " All crews placed in the Top 15 against D1 and D3 opponents, including 4 NEWMAC schools. The team is moving well, working hard, and hungry for more. FTT." 

Lineups
Varsity 8 - Maddy Beer (Seattle, WA/Seattle Preparatory School), Eleanor Madley (Los Angeles, CA/Archer School for Girls), Rayna Rose (Brookline, MA/Brookline), Sox Whitin (Fleming Island, FL/Fleming Island), Kathleen Bacigalupi (Saint Paul, MN/Highland Park), Zeynep Akdora (Dallas, TX/Highland Park), Nadia Grinyuk (Scarborough, ME/Scarborough), Julia Beyer (Ardmore, Pa./Friends' Central School) Jackie Wiechmann (Washington DC/Jackson-Reed)

Second Varsity 8 - Zoe Schwartz (Wolfeboro, NH/Brewster Academy), Ellie Chungath (Des Moines, IA/Theodore Roosevelt), Anna Boden (Seattle, WA/Holy Names Academy), Lucie Gundersen, Ruby Williams (Tallahassee, Fla./Leon), Leni Hicks-Dutt (Newton, MA/Brimmer and May School), Lolo Nash (Chatham, MA/Tabor Academy), Lou Varni, Steph Krieger

Third Varsity 8 - Madison Pillsbury, Reed Williams (Atlanta, GA/Midtown) Olive Sterry (Montclair, NJ/Montclair), June murray, Emery Jess, Eleri Flanigan (Centennial, CO/Cherry Creek), Sophia Eastman (Indiana, PA/Homer Center Junior Senior High School), Megan Lee (Princeton Junction, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro), Nusche MacDonald (Chicago, IL/Whitney M. Young Magnet)

Up Next
Smith will compete at the historic Head of the Charles Regatta on Sunday, October 19 after a scrimmage next weekend against UMass and Williams at 9:00am on Saturday, October 11.

About Smith Athletics: Smith College is a NCAA Division III member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference that sponsors 11 intercollegiate sports. For more information log onto GoSmithBears.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram