Women’s Rowing Team Kicks Off First Regatta of the 2022-2023 Spring Season at San Diego Crew Classic

Cece Hampton ’24

Sports Editor

Last weekend, from March 31 to April 2, the Trinity women’s rowing team traveled to San Diego, California to compete in the San Diego Crew Classic for their first regatta of the 2022-2023 spring season. This race is widely regarded on the west coast as being the inaugural regatta of the spring rowing season, attracting competitors from around the world. The Bantam squad sent two varsity boats to race in the Grace Rett Memorial Collegiate Division II/III/Club event on Mission Bay, competing in separate heats on Saturday and both finishing within the top three places, earning them spots in the grand final. Both Trinity boats finished in the top five of the grand final. Their first varsity eight boat placed second, with a time of 7:25.464, and the second varsity eight boat placed fifth, posting a time of 7:41.532. Clark University, one of the only other East coast schools competing alongside them, placed first overall, boasting a time of 7:23.166. 

The first varsity lineup was comprised of cox-Julianna Boris, stroke-Zoë Tiffin, 7-Alley Johnson, 6-Camille Schubert, 5-Whitney Young, 4-Valerie Casella, 3-Eleanor Burke, 2-Kaitlyn Mackin, and bow-Alex Paluszek. The second varsity lineup included cox-Gaelyn Dwyer, stroke-Allie Newman, 7-Oshi Ragot, 6-Erin Barbakoff, 5-Eleanor Chmielowicz, 4-Eloise Gerry, 3-Gill Nugent, 2-Ainsley Steele, and bow-Abby Gleason. Head Coach Peter Graves shared that the competition between oarsmen on the team has ramped up significantly this season and the varsity lineups have been dynamic so far, as the team experiments with different combinations of oarsmen to discover the best and fastest sets. 

Currently, the Bantams are ranked No. 6 nationally according to the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Division III National Poll. They ended the fall 2022 season having earned a gold medal at the Head of the Housatonic, a silver at the Head of the Riverfront in Hartford, and placing in fifth at the Head of the Charles. In the spring last year, they qualified for the grand final at the National Invitational Rowing Championship (NIRC) Regatta and almost qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships. 

Head Coach Peter Graves shared that the team’s goals this season are to qualify for the NCAA Championships and to improve as a program in the NIRC Trophy Standings in May, from their previous ranking at 10th place. Junior tri-captain Zoe Tiffin (Milwaukee, Wisc.) says, “The fluid dynamics and the competitive nature of the team is very evident as the team pushes each other. Only having completed one regatta thus far, we have already yielded results that surpass the previous years results. It is exciting to see what may be in store this spring season, as the Trinity women’s rowing team continues to connect with one another and improve.”