The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s rowing team has made history by being ranked in the Top 15 of the Pocock CRCA Division III Coaches Poll released Wednesday. The Seahawks landed in the No. 15 spot following their first official week of racing, marking the first-ever national ranking for the program.
However, St. Mary’s was not included in the rankings last season due to not being a CRCA member. The defending Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference Champion is still not a CRCA member, but the organization changed its ranking policy to include all teams regardless of membership status.
Fifth-year Head Coach Anna Lindgren-Streicher expressed excitement about testing the team’s skills against other highly ranked programs. “We look forward to the opportunity to test ourselves on the race course against many of these teams this spring, starting with #1 Wellesley at home this Friday,” she said.
St. Mary’s will face off against the defending NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing national champion, No. 1 Wellesley College, at the Teddy Turner Waterfront this Friday evening. The first race is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.
The Seahawks will also face other Top 15 programs this spring, including No. 9 Hamilton College, No. 11 Bryn Mawr College, No. 12 Smith College, No. 13 University of Rochester, and No. 14 Skidmore College. Additionally, Washington College and William Smith College received votes.
The Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) promotes a positive collegiate rowing experience by fostering a diverse and inclusive community of coaches that value their professional development and promoting equity and leadership within the sport. The CRCA serves as the voice and advocates for its members to grow and promote excellence in collegiate women’s rowing.
The CRCA Division III Coaches Poll is voted on weekly throughout the spring season by Division III coaches and ranks the Top 15 teams based on performance. The poll’s results measure the top teams in the country and can also impact future race schedules and seedings.
St. Mary’s newfound ranking is a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication and the program’s success as a whole. With more opportunities to compete against highly ranked opponents, the Seahawks are poised to continue their success and prove themselves nationally.