RALEIGH, N.C. – The Navy women's rowing team concluded its stay at the two-day Lake Wheeler Invitational and 2025 regular season with a strong showing on Saturday against a host of national competitors in four classifications of racing. The Mids' first varsity four highlighted the team's effort with its second runner-up result in as many days, while their first varsity eight crew repeated a third-place outcome for their second straight race.
After netting a fifth-place result in its initial race on Friday and a third-place outcome in its second race, the Mids' first varsity eight crew continued to show its growth at the Lake Wheeler Invitational as it cut over eight seconds off its quickest time from yesterday and matched its best result with a third-place finish on Saturday morning. No. 24 North Carolina was challenged by Tulsa for the heat victory, though the host Tar Heels held off the Golden Hurricane by 1.724 seconds, 6:29.543 to 6:31.267. Navy found itself in a mid-pack scrap with Kansas, Georgetown and Boston College. The Mids were up to the task and sped across the finish line in third place at 6:36.497. The Jayhawks were over 3.2 seconds back in fourth at 6:39.789, while the Hoyas and Eagles placed fifth and sixth at 6:41.551 and 6:42.659, respectively.
The second varsity eight contest had a large and competitive middle of the pack as North Carolina was the class of the field and cruised to an open water victory at 6:38.280. Close throughout positions two through five (Boston College – 6:44.272 / Kansas – 6:49.530) were separated by just 5.258 seconds. Unfortunately for the Mids they were unable to keep in stroke with that large middle pack and completed their piece in sixth place with a 7:02.022 result.
For the second straight day, Navy's varsity four crew posted the best result with a second-place effort in its final race of the invite. With UNC in control of the pace at the front field, Navy focused on withstanding all of the jabs and pushes from alongside their shell. At the conclusion of 2,000 meters of competitive action, the Mids finished in second place with a time of 7:31.383. Tulsa and Georgetown went back-to-back in third and fourth place with respective times of 7:35.179 and 7:35.291. Boston College (7:43.703) and Kansas (7:45.259) came in fifth and sixth place.
The final boat in action on Saturday was Navy's second varsity four crew. After posting times of 7:55 and 8:00 on Friday, the Mids' 2V4 torched those previous times with a 7:45.563 effort on Saturday morning. Knocking off nearly 10 seconds off its efforts from Friday, Navy found themselves in a tight battle with Kansas and Tulsa for third place. The Jayhawks survived the three-way squabble and crossed with a time of 7:40.575, while the Golden Hurricane held off the Mids by 2.016 seconds, 7:43.547 to 7:45.563. Boston College rounded out the six-team field with a 7:54.241 time.
Navy will step away from the competitive waters for three weeks to turn its attention to final exams and preparation for the Patriot League Championship regatta. The Mids will look to re-take their spot at the top of the league's leaderboard on Friday, May 16 in Pennsauken, N.J. The victorious program from the Patriot League Championship will earn an automatic berth into the 2025 NCAA Championship Regatta.Â
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Race Results
First Varsity Eight
Session 3: Heat 2
North Carolina – 6:29.543
Tulsa – 6:31.267
Navy – 6:36.497
Kansas – 6:39.789
Georgetown – 6:41.551
Boston College – 6:42.659
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Second Varsity Eight
Session 3: Heat 2
North Carolina – 6:38.280
Boston College – 6:44.272
Tulsa – 6:46.220
Georgetown – 6:46.896
Kansas – 6:49.530
Navy – 7:02.022
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First Varsity Four
Session 3: Heat 2
North Carolina – 7:22.095
Navy – 7:31.383
Tulsa – 7:35.179
Georgetown – 7:35.291
Boston College – 7:43.703
Kansas – 7:45.259
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Second Varsity Four
Session 3: Heat 2
North Carolina – 7:23.235
Georgetown – 7:38.069
Kansas – 7:40.575
Tulsa – 7:43.547
Navy – 7:45.563
Boston College – 7:54.241
Boat Lineups
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