The William Smith College rowing team captured its 10th Liberty League Championship with a dominant performance, highlighted by a sweep of the varsity eight races on Friday at Fish Creek. The eighth-ranked Herons secured gold in the first, second and third varsity eight events while adding a second-place finish in the varsity four, earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Rowing Championships.
William Smith set the tone early with commanding efforts across the board. The first varsity eight surged ahead within the opening 500 meters and steadily widened the gap, ultimately winning the grand final by 10 seconds with a time of 6:52.172. The second varsity eight followed with an 18-second victory, pulling away from Rochester after the midway point to post a time of 7:15.818.
The third varsity eight continued the trend, breaking open a tight race against Ithaca midway through before cruising to a 13-second win. Across all three varsity eight races, the Herons showcased consistent power and control, building leads early and extending them through the second half of each race.
William Smith nearly completed a clean sweep, finishing second in the varsity four after a tightly contested race with RIT. Despite a late sprint, the Herons finished just seconds behind the winning crew.
The championship marks William Smith’s first Liberty League title since 2016 and sends the program back to the NCAA Championships for the first time in a decade.
William Smith will compete next at the National Invitational Rowing Championships on May 10 in Worcester, Massachusetts, as the Herons continue preparations for the NCAA Championships scheduled for May 29-31 at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].