Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics
Mount Holyoke Rowing’s next competittion will be held on April 26 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts; many student-atheletes have expressed excitement.
By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28
Sports Editor
April has been a busy month for the Mount Holyoke Rowing team, with the season coming to a close and the team looking ahead to post-season championships. Late March saw the Lyons in their first regatta of the spring at Amherst College against Amherst and Bryant University. The Lyons’ second varsity eight team prevailed against Amherst’s Mammoths with a 00:19.50 lead. Mount Holyoke College placed third in the varsity eight race.
“Our race at Amherst marked the countdown until NEWMACs, and since then, we’ve been putting in the work to build up our intensity,” Jen Butler ’25 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “This past month has been a busy one for my team, and it’s about to get busier as racing picks up. During spring break, we went to Clemson, [South Carolina] to start our water training while we waited for the water up at school to thaw.”
“[Clemson] was an amazing experience full of hard work, laughter, team bonding, and of course lots of sunscreen,” Lilje Stratton ’25 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “Since returning from Clemson, we’ve been working hard in preparation for the final races of the season. It’s been really nice to be back on the water after winter training indoors. Completing our first 2K race of the season at Amherst was exciting!”
“Our scrimmage at Amherst really gave us a reminder for what being on water and rowing a 2k feels like,” Holly Wrampelmeier ’26 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “I feel like our team has a really strong potential this year. Especially with the help of our new assistant coach, Jeff Collett, our novices have been building up very well to join us in races.”
On April 5, the Lyons raced Assumption University, Bryant University and the Mass Maritime Academy at Lake Quinsigamond. Mount Holyoke placed fourth in the varsity four race with a time of 10:04.42. In the varsity eight race against Bryant University, Mount Holyoke 1V8 and Mount Holyoke 2V8 placed second and third with a result of 08:13.60 and 08:32.99, respectively.
Since then, Mount Holyoke Rowing has competed at Clark University on April 12, Now, the Lyons are post-season and preparing to race in the NEWMAC Championship.
“We’re hoping to get some solid strokes in before showing up in force for NEWMACs,” Wrampelmeier said. “Even if we don’t win, the races up to NEWMACs give us good practice and let us know what to work on next.”
“April can be a tricky month; it’s when the majority of our racing takes place, on top of having to meet schoolwork deadlines,” Butler explained. “In addition, April can be incredibly unforgiving weather-wise. More rain and wind means more indoor practices for us, but the crew is doing well keeping spirits high and the pressure on even when we aren’t on the water.”
“The strong sense of teamwork and camaraderie in pushing hard together toward the finish line was exhilarating,” Stratton said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of our season.”
“We are so lucky to have a great roster of rowers and coxswains this season, and I’m excited to finish out my last season here at Mount Holyoke with this crew!” Butler added.
Mount Holyoke Rowing will next compete in the NEWMAC Championship on April 26,at the Donahue Rowing Center in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.
Gemma Golovner ’25 contributed fact-checking.