BOSTON, Mass. - Marist women's rowing spent this past Saturday at the 60th Annual Head of the Charles. Marist's current athletes raced in the Club 4 and the Club 8 events, along with 2 entries of Alumnae boats in the Alumnae 8 and Alumnae 4 events. The team couldn't have asked for a more perfect fall day. 

Our Alumnae 8 (bow #23), consisted of coxswain Katie Moody '22, Lisa Chase (D'Aniello) '08, Sydney Ford '20, Natalia Miklos '24, Emma Jauch '23, Marguerite McGahay M'25, Ashley Surette '23, Annie Devorak '15, and Genevieve Anderson '23.  Guaranteeing another automatic bid for next year by placing in the top half of the field, this crew finished 25th out of 52 crews with a time of 18:02.320. 

"It was wonderful to be back on the water with a new crew for this year's alumnae event. Going into the race, we knew we'd be facing some talented competition, but we remained confident and focused on our plan. Our strategy was to maintain our position and make Dartmouth work hard for every stroke – and we succeeded, holding them off for nearly 2000 meters and only getting passed once. We were very pleased with our 25th place finish and automatic qualification. The crew executed a strong race, and the day was both competitive and rewarding. It's always remarkable how seamlessly we come together after time apart. One day back in the boat and it feels like we never left Marist. We're already looking forward to next year's event!"
-Katie Moody '22

Our Alumnae 4 (bow #13) consisted of coxswain Abby Cieplinksi '23, Summer Starrett '25, Gabby Insero '25, Abbey Gragg '19, and her twin sister, Maddy Gragg '19. With a good mix of recent and not so recent graduates, this crew was excited to get back on the racecourse and have fun! They finished with a time of 20:32.321 putting them 13th out of 22 crews. 

"I'm really proud of how the alumnae 4+ race this weekend. The boat chemistry was great, even though the girls had never rowed together previously. We passed 2 crews within the first mile which was motivating, and we were able to maintain the inside lane for the first turn along Magazine Beach. Summer held the boat at a strong 28, bringing it up for a sprint in the final stretch. I am honored that we were able to represent Marist at such a prestigious event. This was my first race as an alumna and I hope my crew had as much fun as I did!"
-Abby Cieplinski '23    

The lineup for the Club 4 event (bow #21) consisted of coxswain Rebecca Robinson, Shelby McDougall, Megan McGowan, Samantha Stortz, and Lilly Green. This crew came into the day with a ton of energy and ready to improve on the performance from last year. They did what they set out to do, earning an automatic qualification by finishing with a time of 19:15.249 which placed them 23rd out of 53 crews. 

"Our boat came into the Head of the Charles excited and ready to see how much we'd grown since last year. We locked into a strong rhythm early, holding a steady 31 through most of the course, staying composed around the turns, and accelerating through the bridges. The crew stayed focused and determined, and as we saw Community Rowing ahead, we started reeling them in. We made our move after Eliot, walking through them and finished strong."
-Rebecca Robinson '26

The Club 8 (bow #21), consisting of coxswain Ariana Novero, Amelia Nelson, Kaleigh Tompkins, Sophie Forster, Kora Eckelman, Natalie Ronan, Caitlin Bartman, Abby Deane, and Anna Coppola. This crew felt as though they had unfinished business from last year and were excited to get the opportunity to show what they were capable of at the world's largest regatta. The crew finished 11th out of 53 with a time of 16:57.946, ending our Saturday with another automatic qualification for next year and the team's best result in the Club 8 event in the last 20 years. 

"As we lined up on the Charles, our focus was set on improving from last year's results. We started strong, quickly shifting into our base rate at 34, staying connected with length and power. Our goal was to stay with BU and close the gap. We knew this race wasn't just about our result but also about how we attacked our race plan. Around Eliot, I made a call to use the energy from the crowd to find another gear and finish strong. We came out of Eliot on the outside of the final turn with BU on the inside but we focused on each stroke and by the final stretch we were in a three boat race with BU and St. Joe's each of whom we had gained ground on. We are all very happy with the results and we are excited to continue improving throughout the season."
-Ariana Novero '26

From Coach Sanford
"The women enjoyed another beautiful Saturday in Boston with some great racing in ideal conditions. Each of our alumnae and collegiate crews executed their race plans and were pleased with their results. It was great to see so many alumnae, families, and friends enjoying each other's company, sharing stories, and cheering on our crews! We will use our positive results from this weekend as a point to build upon as we head into the remaining fall races and begin preparing for winter training and the spring season." - Tom Sanford, Director of Rowing & Head Women's Coach 

NEXT UP: We are looking forward to bringing our full squad up to Saratoga, NY next Saturday, October 25th for the Head of the Fish!