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As the 2024 season approaches, Syracuse women’s rowing has unfinished business. Though the Orange’s varsity 8 finished first at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships last year, they still crave an overall ACC title win.

In 2023, SU finished second at the ACC Championship, nine points behind Virginia, with the varsity 8 earning its first-ever gold medal in the event. At the NCAA Championship, the Orange took 13th place, a four-spot improvement from 2022.

“I feel like we did some really great stuff last year,” Syracuse head coach Luke McGee said. “But we left some things on the table as well, so that’s been what the team’s been focused on from the beginning.”

Virginia has dominated ACC women’s rowing for a quarter century. But Syracuse has been a close competitor, finishing second to UVA in four of the last six years. This season, the Orange are ranked 11th in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Preseason Poll, one spot behind Virginia.

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Will this be the year that they finally rise to the top? McGee, who enters his sixth season as SU’s head coach, said he’s already seen signs that this group can capture an elusive conference title.

“The really great teams, you don’t have to push them, you’re kind of like the guardrail,” McGee said. “That seems to be what this team is.”

Here’s everything to know about the Orange before their 2024 season begins on March 23 at the ACC/Big 10/Ivy Dual in Cherry Hill, New Jersey:

Fall success

Last fall, Syracuse competed in two scrimmages: the Head of the Charles Regatta and Cornell Autumn Classic.

At the Head of the Charles, SU’s varsity 8, led by coxswain Caileigh Grimes, finished 13th with a time of 16:48.842. The second varsity 8 took 26th place, covering the course in 17:36.444.

More Syracuse boats competed at the Cornell Autumn Classic, with all four varsity fours finishing on top. The Orange’s three varsity 8s followed suit by claiming the top spot three times in their events. SU’s first varsity 8, coxed by junior April Serrano, finished 32 seconds better than at the Head of the Charles.

“It was a strong team performance to cap off the fall season,” McGee said in a press release. “I was pleased with the effort from all the boats and how the overall team has been progressing this year.”

Syracuse women’s rowing is ranked No. 11 in the country on the CRCA preseason poll. Meghan Hendricks | Senior Staff Photogropher

Spring schedule: Key matchups

The Orange are slated to face 10 teams in the CRCA preseason poll this season. Their schedule includes facing two ACC foes in No. 10 Virginia and No. 13 Duke in the Lake Wheeler Invitational.

SU opens with the ACC/Big 10/Ivy Dual versus Indiana, Penn, Radcliffe and Ohio State. The following month consists of matchups against Yale and Cornell on April 6, and Cal and Oregon State on April 13, capped off by a meet on April 14 versus Stanford, the defending National Champions.

The regular season concludes with the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh, North Carolina, from April 26-27. The team then moves to the ACC Championships, held from May 17-18. If any boats qualify for the NCAA Championship from May 31 to June 2, they will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, for a chance at Syracuse’s first national title in program history.

“I would say it’s a really challenging but very exciting schedule,” McGee said.

3 players to watch

Ellie-Kate Hutchinson: As a freshman last season, Hutchinson was the four-seat for SU’s varsity 8 that won ACC Crew of the Year and finished first at ACCs. The Northern Irish rower was also named the Women’s Rowing ACC Newcomer of the Year. Look for Hutchinson to build off her debut campaign in 2024.

Caileigh Grimes: In her first two seasons with the Orange, the Ardmore, Pennsylvania, native was the coxswain for their varsity 4, which qualified for the national championship both years. In 2023, she also coxed the second varsity 8. Grimes smoothly transitioned this past fall season, where she coxed SU’s varsity 8 at the Head of the Charles.

Minaya Bishop: Bishop, a freshman, seems to be making an immediate impact on the team, serving as the four-seat for the varsity 8 at the Head of the Charles. Prior to Syracuse, she rowed as a high schooler for the University of Queensland in her home country of Australia, providing her with early collegiate experience.

Published on March 18, 2024 at 10:15 pm

Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu