SARASOTA, Fla. — The Bates women's rowing team left no room for doubt on Saturday, winning both grand finals to take home the Bobcats' second straight national championship and their third in the last four years. The first varsity eight won its first gold medal at the NCAA championships in program history and the second varsity eight edged Wellesley to win its fifth consecutive gold medal on the biggest stage of women's collegiate rowing.
After coming in second to Wellesley in Friday's heat, the second varsity eight, led by senior coxswain Hanna De Bruyn and junior stroke Phoebe Long knew the Blue would be a challenge once again on Saturday. At the halfway point of the grand final, Wellesley held a slim lead over Bates but the Bobcats made up some ground over the next 500 meters to gain a small edge down the stretch. In the end, the Bobcats raced to the finish in 6:52.037, defeating the Blue by a little more than a second and cutting three seconds off their Friday heat time. Williams came in a distant third with a time of 7:02.157.
RESULTS:
Due to the points system, the only team that could seriously challenge Bates for the national title after the second varsity eight race concluded was Wellesley. Williams' first varsity eight boat failed to make the grand final and Ithaca didn't have a boat in the second varsity eight grand final. Wesleyan and WPI had finished too far back in the second varsity eight race to be realistic contenders for the overall points trophy.
None of the that mattered to the Bobcats. The Bates first varsity eight boat made it clear who has the fastest crew in Division III rowing.
CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: Bates takes its third title in four years
Led by first-year coxswain Elizabeth Folsom and senior stroke Laura Rand, the Bobcats raced to the finish in 6:40.713, cutting about five seconds off their heat time and defeating runner-up Ithaca (6:44.886) by a little more than four seconds. WPI finished in third (6:46.017) and Wellesley came in fourth (6:49.935) in the first varsity eight grand final.
Wellesley and WPI finished in second and third place respectively in the final points standings behind Bates.
In 2015 and 2017, Bates won the national title thanks to the second varsity eight winning gold and the first varsity eight coming in second. This time, for the first time ever, both Bates boats finished in first place, securing the Bobcats' third national title in the last four years. This season marks the 12th consecutive appearance at the NCAA championships for the Bates women's rowing team. They have finished in first or second place nine times during that time frame.
