The University of Virginia women’s rowing team won four out of five races on April 25 at the Lake Wheeler Invite, following a strong performance in which the Cavaliers secured ten victories the previous day and finished the two-day event with wins in fourteen out of fifteen races.
The results highlight Virginia’s continued strength in collegiate rowing as they prepare for upcoming championship events. The team achieved first-place finishes in the Second Varsity Four, Varsity Four, Second Varsity Eight, and Varsity Eight categories. In head-to-head matchups, Virginia defeated No. 22 North Carolina in both the Second Varsity Four (7:12.950-7:16.190) and Second Varsity Eight (6:17.420-6:30.100), while also besting No. 13 Duke in the Varsity Four (7:05.640-7:07.850) and Varsity Eight (6:09.640-6:20.210). North Carolina claimed victory over Virginia only in the Third Varsity Eight race.
The Cavaliers competed against a field that included nationally ranked teams such as Alabama and Oklahoma, along with Clemson, George Washington, High Point, Kansas, Lehigh, Tulsa, and West Virginia.
Head coach Wesley Ng said after Saturday’s competition that “Lake Wheeler was a strong step forward for our program.” Ng added, “I’m really proud of our athletes and staff. Our consistency is improving, and I thought the way this group supported one another all weekend really stood out.” He also noted future challenges ahead by saying “I think the depth and speed of our conference is really compelling and we will have to improve in every measure to be ready for the ACCs in three weeks as we pursue an NCAA bid.”
Virginia will return to Lake Wheeler for the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships scheduled for May 15-16.
