Syracuse women’s rowing takes varsity 4+ title at New York State Championships
Syracuse women's rowing won the varsity 4+ title at the New York State Championships Saturday, outpacing both Marist and Union. Meghan Hendricks | Daily Orange File Photo
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After Syracuse secured multiple first-place finishes last weekend in the Ivy Invitational and proved its ability against No. 6 Princeton, No. 7 Brown and No. 18 Harvard-Radcliffe, the Orange had the momentum to dominate at the New York State Championships on Saturday.
The No. 10 Orange continued their strong spring campaign in Saratoga Springs, earning first place in the varsity 4+.
Syracuse established itself as the frontrunner in its morning race, posting the fastest preliminary time of the day at 8:10.130. The Orange crossed the line nearly 20 seconds before Long Island (8:29.779) and nearly a full minute ahead of Ithaca (9:08.105).
The heat was a display of control. The crew consisted of first-seat Lea Guttormson, second-seat Nora Devine, third-seat Lily Thorpe, freshman fourth-seat Eve O’Sullivan and coxswain Kate Yolken.
The five set the pace that no other boat in the field could match. The Orange brought the same energy into the afternoon despite competing against a tighter field.
Marist and Union both challenged SU, but the Orange again established themselves early. Syracuse crossed the line in 8:51.100, securing first place by just over eight seconds. Marist followed in 8:59.733, while Union took third at 9:08.466.
With the win, SU continues to build momentum heading into tougher competition. The Orange will travel to Ann Arbor next weekend for the Big Ten/ACC Double Dual, where they’ll face No. 16 Ohio State and No. 17 Michigan, looking to maintain their top-10 standing before the ACC Championships on May 16.
The upcoming matchup won’t be unfamiliar territory for the Orange.
Last season at the Big Ten/ACC/Ivy Dual, Syracuse faced both the Wolverines and Buckeyes. SU trailed Michigan in the varsity 8 by less than a second and picked up key wins, including a strong performance from the second varsity 8.
The Orange won 5-of-6 races against Ohio State, showing their ability to compete with top-20 programs, with Michigan ranked No. 9 and Ohio State at No. 14 at the time.
Syracuse now leads both teams in rankings and possesses stronger early-season results, entering the rematch with higher expectations.
If Saturday proved anything, it’s that Syracuse knows how to set the tone early and finish strong, which will be key in next weekend’s contest.
