Seahawks Row at Head of the Occoquan

St. Mary's College of Maryland's varsity and novice women's eights raced at the Head of the Occoquan in Fairfax Station, Virginia.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Swimming

Expressive editorial sports illustration of a line of women's rowing eights in crimson and navy team colors racing side by side across calm river water. — St. Mary's College of Maryland's varsity women's eight finished ninth of 13 crews at the Head of the Occoquan in Fairfax Station, Virginia, on Saturday. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

St. Mary's College of Maryland's women's rowing team competed at the Head of the Occoquan on flat water with minimal wind. The Women's Collegiate Varsity Eight finished ninth of 13 crews in 19:25.350 despite several injuries, while the Novice Eight, in its collegiate racing debut, placed sixth of 10 in 22:49.923.

Why it matters

The novice crew finished within 10 seconds of earning a medal and beat Catholic University, its only conference opponent in the event, by 45 seconds. The results give the program a baseline as it heads into its spring racing schedule.

The varsity eight finished in 19:25.350 for ninth place among 13 crews, while the novice eight posted 22:49.923 for sixth among 10. The novice crew finished 10 seconds short of a medal and beat Catholic University by 45 seconds.

The players

St. Mary's College of Maryland

A public liberal arts college in St. Mary's City, Maryland, whose women's rowing team competed at the Head of the Occoquan.

The details

The varsity eight raced against a field that included several Division I programs, finishing ninth out of 13 crews despite several injuries. The novice eight made its collegiate racing debut at the event, defeating Catholic University, its only conference opponent in the race.

Spring: Seahawks spring racing schedule begins

Season Trajectory

The results position the Seahawks' varsity and novice crews as they enter a spring racing schedule against a Division I-heavy field. The novice crew's near-medal finish offers an early benchmark for the program's development.

Fans following collegiate rowing can track the Seahawks' spring racing results as the novice crew builds on its debut. The 10-second gap to a medal shows how narrow the margins are in the novice field.

The takeaway

Early-season collegiate results like these show how close the field can be, with a novice debut crew within 10 seconds of a medal. Watching how the crews carry these times into spring racing will reveal their progress.