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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - The No. 3-ranked Williams College women's crew team has won seven races during the 2024-25 season, as the Ephs look to continue that positive momentum during the National Invitational Rowing/NESCAC Championship Sunday at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts.
"Our team this year is the most gritty and steadfast one I have been a part of during my time at Williams," said senior captain
Isabel Mikheev. "All year, we have maintained an unwavering belief in each other and readiness to push each other beyond what we thought was possible. The foundation we have created together gives us the confidence to work toward even the loftiest goals."
During the 2024-25 season, the Ephs swept all three races at the Skidmore Sprints on April 5 at Fish Creek in Saratoga Springs, New York, emerging victorious during the Varsity Eight, Second Varsity Eight and Third Varsity Eight competitions. The Ephs' Varsity Eight boat also placed first overall during Go for Gourd on Oct. 12, Little Three Championship on April 19 and against No. 2 Tufts and No. 15 Hamilton on April 26.
The Third Varsity Eight crew took home first-place laurels during the Little Three Championship. During the fall season, the unit placed second out of 33 during the Women's Open 8+ event at the Head of the Riverfront on Oct. 6 in Hartford, Connecticut. Williams competed at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta, earning a third-place finish out of 34 during the Collegiate Eights race on the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
"Our team's attitude and effort are our greatest assets," said third-year head coach
Paula Thoms. "We know how to balance having fun on race day, loving the hard work, feeding off the energy of competition, enjoying time with teammates and bringing our absolute best to every stroke. We are excited to see what results this mentality will bring us when we face our competitors this weekend."
The 2024-25 team features seniors
Maddy Andersen,
Arden Fluehr,
Ellie Iorio,
Katie McKenna, Mikheev, captain
Abby Murphy,
Anna Owens,
Ella Potee,
Prairie Resch and
Ava Rust. The junior class is comprised of
Ellie Davis,
Catherine Farman-Farmaian,
Carolyn Fortin,
Alexa Hanson,
Claire McDonald,
Molly McWeeny,
Ariana Oppenheimer,
Annie Refermat,
Audrey Riddle,
Katie Scott,
Maya Tait and
Qi Wang.
The sophomores include
Sophia Clavenna,
Sohani Curtis,
Courtney FitzMaurice,
Lindsay Gadsden,
Vivian Johnson,
Charlotte Ragozin,
Olivia Thurman and
Charis Woo. The first-years are
Wonji Choi,
Laela Clark,
Lily Clemens,
Sheridan Hauser,
Ayanna Keshav,
Grace McLaughlin,
Betsy Owens and
Isolde Rayman. Assistant coach
Eileen Russell '19 is in her fourth season as a vital component of the program.
"Our current team is led by a strong class of seniors who have worked together seamlessly to provide leadership, support, motivation and friendship across all levels of the team," said Thoms. "The NESCAC teams are consistently some of the fastest in Division III, and every weekend presents a great opportunity to compete and demonstrate who we are and what we can do at our best."
During her three years at the helm of the program, Thoms has powered the program to a remarkable amount of success, as the group won the NESCAC Championship in 2023 for the first time in seven years. Also during her first season, the Ephs captured a bronze medal with a third-place finish in the Second Varsity Eight during the 2023 NCAA Championship. In 2024, Williams saw the Second Varsity Eight come in first at the NESCAC Championship, and then earn a gold medal with a first-place effort during the national championship.
"This season, we are living by the motto, "All of Williams," a call our coxswains have been making during practice and races," said Murphy. "When it gets tough, we are not pushing just for ourselves. We are pushing for everyone who came before us on this team, everyone who supports us day to day and the entire Williams' community."
