PRINCETON, N.J. – Tasked with taking on the nation's fourth-ranked Princeton Tigers in their 2025 season opener, the Navy Midshipmen were unable to overcome the Tigers' high performing crews across a five-race slate at Lake Carnegie. Racing on their home course, the Tigers (4-0) retained the Navy-Princeton Cup over the Mids (0-1) with a victory in the first varsity eight contest.
The competition ran in reverse order with the fifth varsity eight crews on the water first. Staying in touch with Princeton for most of the first half of the 2,000-meter event, Navy wasn't able to match the Tigers' speed down the stretch and fell by 7.2 seconds, 6:01.6 to 6:08.8.
The ensuing race involving the fourth varsities from each program was the most competitive of the day's slate. Both teams broke out of the opening sprint with strong speed, though the Tigers were able start pulling away from the Mids and advanced out to a six-seat lead by the 750-meter mark and to near open water by the mid-way mark. Navy answered this challenge and fought to keep in touch with Princeton over the second half of the race. Going to the finish line, the Tigers moved out to a slight crack of open water and won by 3.7 seconds, 5:58.2 to 6:01.9.
The third varsity eight contest had a similar feel to it as Navy hung with Princeton early as the Tigers slowly moved up the course taking seats on the Mids methodically before finding open water soon after the 1,000-meter juncture of the race. Navy continued to battle Princeton down the stretch and clocked in at 5:53.6 versus a 5:47.9 time for the host Tigers.
The second varsity eight race was quite straight forward as Princeton led wire-to-wire for a dominant 19.5-second victory, 5:41.5 to 6:01.0. The Tigers were aggressive from the initial sprint gaining open water within the first 750 meters and continually added distance away from the Mids throughout the remaining 1,250 meters.
With the Navy-Princeton Cup on the line in a matchup of the first varsity eight crews, Princeton looked to complete the five-race sweep in the final contest of the meet. Both teams got off to a solid start, though it was a significant move by the Tigers over the middle portion of the piece that earned them the victory. Relentless throughout, Princeton clocked in 15.1 seconds ahead of Navy, 5:37.2 to 5:52.3.
"The athletes today gave all that they were capable of giving," remarked
Steve Gladstone, the Tom & Candy Knudson Head Coach of Heavyweight Rowing. "It is now clear where we stand. Moving forward we will embrace the challenge of being faster. We will accomplish that goal by bringing full measure to the practices in front of us."
Navy will pick up early season action next Saturday with racing at the 2025 Schuylkill Invitational.
Race Results
First Varsity Eight
Princeton – 5:37.2
Navy 5:52.3
Second Varsity Eight
Princeton – 5:41.5
Navy – 6:01.0
Third Varsity Eight
Princeton – 5:47.9
Navy – 5:53.6
Fourth Varsity Eight
Princeton – 5:58.2
Navy – 6:01.9
Fifth Varsity Eight
Princeton – 6:01.6
Navy – 6:08.8
Boat Lineups
