Written by: Zachary Worstell (zdw001@marietta.edu)
The women’s rowing team brought home a conference championship for Marietta College. This is the first Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference (MARC) Championship for the team since the 2011-2012 season. Where the team won the varsity 8+ championship. The team has shifted to the women’s varsity 4+ from the varsity 8+ for this season, and the results have paid off.
The season began in October, as Marietta hosted the Head of the Muskingum where the V4 finished in 2nd place and in the V2 race, the Pioneers had two entries and placed 1st and 2nd.
This strong start to the season was followed by a trip to Cambridge, Massachusetts for the Head of the Charles Regatta. At the last Charles Regatta Marietta competed in 2021, they placed 27th of 40 in the V8. This season, the Pios placed 31st of 39 schools in the V4. Carleton won the race with a time of 18:27.344. Marietta finished with a time of 21:36.990, behind MARC competitors Franklin & Marshall and Washington College.
To wrap up the fall season, Marietta competed in the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. Last season Marietta earned three medals, a bronze in the V8, and a gold and a bronze in the V4. This season the Pioneers struggled and finished 56th in the V4, however had stronger performances in the V2 and V1 placing in 8th and 3rd respectively.
At the start of the spring season in March, Marietta hosted the University of Dayton and Adrian College for a race on the Muskingum. Here Marietta saw some tough weather conditions but placed in 2nd with a time of 7:22.54 finishing behind Dayton and ahead of Adrian.
Two weeks after in April, Adrian hosted Marietta and two Milwaukee School of Engineering entries at the Devil’s Lake Invitational. Marietta began to hit their stride here as they finished in first with a time of 9:57.44 defeating second place MSOE A who had a time of 10:07.4.
With a first-place victory under their belt, Marietta continued their momentum when they hosted St. John Fisher. The conditions were much better this go around and the Pios greatly improved on their time finishing in 5:53.34. This was good for another first-place finish as St John Fisher finished with times of 6:07.69 and 6:39.39.
With their following race with Robert Morris cancelled, Marietta found themselves preparing for the MARC championship. At the start of May, Marietta traveled to New Jersey with hopes for a conference title. Marietta’s hopes seemed diminished early on as they had a slow start with wind blowing them off course, however, Marietta quickly regained balance and passed the other three teams to take the lead. The Pioneers took home a gold medal finishing in a 9:00.639, fourteen seconds ahead of second place Catholic University.
The following week, the Navy Blue and White ended their season with the Dad Vail Regatta. Marietta’s women’s crew entered in two events, the V4, and the 1x. Senior Katie Lively competed in the 1x and finished 3rd of 6th in the first semifinal to advance to the grand finale. However, Lively struggled and finished sixth in the grand finale
As for the V4, the lady Pios finished 5th of 7 in the time trial and stayed consistent finishing 5th of 6 in the grand finale.
The Pioneer rowing season ends with one gold medal being the conference championship, and strong finishes making the grand finales and both events they entered in for the Dad Vail Regatta. The switch to V4 has come with success, and the Pioneers will look to improve on their success next season.
