Worcester, MA - Facing adversity from the start, Smith Rowing demonstrated resilience and team-first mentality across all four eights during Saturday's championship races.

The day opened with all three morning heats. The 3V8 placed third in their heat, advancing to the grand final, while the 2V8 powered to a second-place finish to qualify for their own grand final later in the day.

The 1V8 battled through their heat to qualify for the petite final, but the race came at a cost—an athlete sustained an injury off the start line. The rower finished the race but required a medical substitution afterward, which forced lineup changes across all boats heading into the afternoon.

Despite the shakeups, Smith responded with composure and fight.

The 4V8 opened the afternoon finals, finishing fifth in a photo finish, falling to Trinity by just 0.08 seconds.

The 3V8 matched that placement in their grand final, less than a second behind Wesleyan. The 2V8 delivered one of the strongest races of the day, surging past Williams at the line to secure fourth place by a tenth of a second.

In a tightly packed petite final, the 1V8 came in sixth, with all six boats separated by just six seconds.

Head coach Clare Doyle praised the team's response:

"In the face of a challenging injury early in the day, the team responded with total commitment to each other and belief in what we could accomplish on the racecourse. I am really proud of the way all the crews adjusted to new lineups and threw down some competitive races in a tough field from start to finish. A huge thank you to all of our parents, friends, alums, and the entire Smith Athletics staff who have supported us throughout the year. We can't wait to get back to work."