Syracuse’s Performance at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship
Syracuse finished 12th at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championship held at Lake Mercer, finishing with a total of 67 points. This marked their 12th appearance at the NCAA Championships and their fifth consecutive year competing.
The standout performance came from the varsity four, which took second in the petite final, placing eighth overall. This is their best finish since the format changed to team bids in 2009. California won the petite final with a time of 7:06.197, while Syracuse crossed the line at 7:10.499.
In the varsity eight, Syracuse won the C final with a time of 6:20.367, claiming 13th place overall. They beat Harvard, which finished just behind them at 6:22.937.
The second varsity eight finished in 12th place after competing in the petite final, where they came in sixth with a time of 6:32.632. Tennessee won this race at 6:24.586. This result ties for the second-best finish in the program’s history for the second varsity eight.
Stanford took home the team title with 129 points, and the ACC had four teams finish in the top 15. Notably, California and Virginia tied for ninth place, each scoring 79 points.
An interesting fact is that in recent years, participation in collegiate sports, especially rowing, has seen a significant increase. The NCAA reported in 2021 that women’s rowing had grown by nearly 14% in participation over the past decade. This growth reflects a broader trend in women’s sports, where more and more young women are finding opportunities to compete.
Syracuse’s success, especially its ability to qualify for the championships in eight of the last nine years, shows the strength and determination of their rowing program. As they look ahead, it will be interesting to see how they maintain this upward trajectory in competitive rowing.