Worcester, MA --- First just the second time in program history, co-host WPI was victorious in the varsity eight at the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Women's Rowing Championship on a sun-splashed Saturday on Lake Quinsigamond.  For the first time since 2010, Smith captured the overall conference title, as well being triumphant in the other three races contested on the 2000-meter course to claim the Florence Jope Smith Cup.
 
WPI (7:09.70) led wire-to-wire in the varsity eight en route to winning the V8 for just the second time in program history and first time since 2019.  Smith (7:11.38) surged ahead of Wellesley (7:11.84) over the final 250 meters to take second.  The 0.46 margin of victory proved to be the difference in determining the conference's automatic qualifier, which is comprised of the varsity eight and the second varsity eight.  Coast Guard (7:17.66) was fourth followed up Clark (7:27.54), Mount Holyoke (7:38.51) and Simmons (8:17.49).
 
In the second varsity eight, Wellsley jumped out to a quick lead but Smith (7:24.40) took it to another gear just past the Donahue Rowing Center to reach the finish line over second ahead of the Blue (7:31.74).  WPI (7:37.65) broke away late from Coast Guard (7:37.65) to take third while Clark (7:48.43) was fifth and Mount Holyoke sixth (8:01.18).
 
Smith edged WPI by a single point to claim its 10th overall team championship and trails defending national champion Wellesley by just one for most overall titles in conference history.  With the victory, Smith earns the NEWMAC's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division III Championship at East Fork/Harsha Lake on Bethel, OH on May 31st and June 1st.  It will be the Pioneers first appearances at the NCAA Championships in 14 years.
 
Smith also won the final two races of the morning.  In the third varsity eight, the Pioneers (7:36.42) reached the final buoys ahead of Wellesley (7:40.20), WPI (7:52.7), Coast Guard (7:57.16) and Clark (8:40.78) while in the fourth varsity eight the Pioneers reached Regatta Point in 7:46.0 followed by Wellesley (7:55.91) and Coast Guard (8:11.41).
 
In the conference championship standings, which accounts for points in the varsity eight and second varsity eight boats, Smith earned 42 points to take first place, while WPI was second with 41 points. Wellesley (37) and Coast Guard (30) were third and fourth and were followed by Clark (25), Mount Holyoke (20), and Simmons (15).
 
The Pioneers also took the Florence Jose Smith Cup, awarded annually to the school with the highest number of points from the overall results at the event. Smith, which won for the ninth time and first time since 2010, finished first with 40 points followed by Wellesley with 32 points and WPI with 20. Coast Guard (20), Clark (12), Mount Holyoke (6), and Simmons (2) rounded out the final standings.
 
Smith's Linnea Schultz (Woodinville, WA) was voted as the conference's Rower of the Year while teammate Sofia Trotta (Guilford, CT) and WPI's Emily Howard (Riverside, RI) shared Coxswain of the Year accolades.
 
Joining Schultz, Trotta and Howard on the All-Conference first team were WPI's Maggie Kirwan (Wolfeboro, NH), Jules Prisco (Pelham, NY) Megan Tupaj (Amherst, NH), Anya Hanitchak (Andover, MA) and Kaylee Liu (Acton, MA) of Wellesley and Megan Holm (Flagstaff, AZ) and Anna Boden (Seattle, WA) of Smith.

The second team included Katherine Morgan (Glenside, PA) and Amanda Nasti (East Northport, NY) of Coast Guard, Katie Woods (Meridian, ID) and Anna Tinklenberg (Bloomington, MN) from Clark, Mount Holyoke's Emma Waldron (Pittsburgh, PA) and Lilla Carroll (Birmingham, AL) and Dalila Marzialo (Tolland, CT)
Michaline Becknell (Arlington, VA) of Simmons.
 
The Crimson and Gray turn their attention to next week's New England Championships, which is Saturday on Lake Quinsigamond.
 
Varsity Eight
1. WPI - 7:09.70
2. Smith - 7:11.38
3. Wellesley - 7:11.84
4. Coast Guard - 7:17.66
5. Clark - 7:27.54
6. Mount Holyoke - 7:38.51
7. Simmons - 8:17.49
 
Second Varsity Eight
1. Smith - 7:24.40
2. Wellesley - 7:31.74
3. WPI - 7:35.48  
4. Coast Guard - 7:37.65
5. Clark - 7:48.43
6. Mount Holyoke - 8:01.18
 
Third Varsity Eight
1. Smith - 7:36.42
2. Wellesley - 7:40.20
3. WPI - 7:52.7    
4. Coast Guard - 7:57.16
5. Clark - 8:40.78 
 
Fourth Varsity Eight
1. Smith - 7:46.0
2. Wellesley - 7:55.91
3. Coast Guard - 8:11.41
 
NEWMAC Championship AQ Standings
1. Smith - 42
2. WPI - 41
3. Wellesley - 37
4. Coast Guard - 30
5. Clark - 25
6. Mount Holyoke - 20
7. Simmons - 15
 
Florance Jope Smith Cup Standings
1. Smith - 40
2. Wellesley - 32
3. WPI - 28
4. Coast Guard - 20
5. Clark - 12
6. Mount Holyoke - 6
7. Simmons - 2
 
Varsity Eight
Emily Howard (Riverside, RI) - coxswain
Jules Prisco (Pelham, NY)
Kathryn Woodland (Boxford, MA)
Maggie Kirwan (Wolfeboro, NH)
Megan Tupaj (Amherst, NH)
Nicole Miller (Hanover, MA)
Charlotte Bourne (Northampton, MA)
Ilyssa Delizo (New City, NY)
Samantha Arroyas (Uxbridge, MA)
 
Second Varsity Eight
Kate Lindsay (Ashford, CT) - coxswain
Corinne White (Washington, DC)
Sunny Kang (Brookline, MA)
Victoria Serrambana (Glastonbury, CT)
Madison Gass (Barrington, NH)
Sofia Eckerson (Derry, NH)
Miriam Freedman (San Francisco, CA)
Ryan Dillon (Rutland, MA)
Madeleine Ruley (Manchester Center, VT)
 
Third Varsity Eight
Jaya Mills (Wayland, MA) - coxswain
Bella Raduazo (Bedford, NH)
Isabelle Wilson (Catonsville, MD)
Morgan Vasiliou (Easton, MA)
Ally Walker (Holden, MA)
Grace McCarthy (Ludlow, MA)
Naomi Fink (Eagan, MN)
Skyler Dooley (Madison, CT)
Keira Schoolcraft (Woodbridge, VA)
 
Results