Williams captured its fourth straight title at the Division III Women’s Rowing Championships on Saturday at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Williams posted 24 points to outdistance Bates, which compiled 19 points, and third-place finisher Trinity (Connecticut) with 17.

The Ephs have captured five of the eight titles that have been contested since the Division III championships were established in 2002.

Williams was well-positioned to defend the national championship after the placing both Varsity Eights teams in Sunday’s grand final. Williams 2V edged Ithaca’s 1V by one second in the grand qualifier on Friday to become the only school to advance a second boat to the grand final. 

In the final, Williams 1V led early, staying just ahead of Bates and Trinity. By midway through the 2,000-meter course, the three teams had separated themselves from the rest of the field. The Ephs still held a one-second advantage over Bates, while Trinity trailed both by only tenths of a second.

Down the stretch, Williams and Bates traded the lead until the Ephs surged ahead in the last 400 meters of the race. Williams stretched the advantage to a half of a boat length before crossing the finish line nearly three seconds ahead of Bates with a winning time of 6:28.04.

“It was a nailbiter,” said Allison Prevatt, coxswain of Williams 1V. “We’ve raced Bates all season, and we knew what was coming. We put on a sprint that was higher and longer than anything we’ve done this season.”

Trinity was third (6:36.03), followed by Ithaca (6:39.16) and Williams 2V (6:42.00).

In the petite final, it was Smith (6:47.12) over St. Lawrence (6:51.75) by almost five seconds. Bates II finished third.

Washington (Maryland) won the third final with a time of 6:59.52. Puget Sound II, St. Lawrence II and Trinity II, rounded out the second, third and fourth places.

Team results

1. Williams, 24; 2. Bates, 19; 3. Trinity (Conn.), 17; 4. Ithaca, 15; 5. Puget Sound, 12; 6. Smith and St. Lawrence, 9.

Eights Grand Final

1. Williams I [Katherine Robinson, Sarah Ginsberg, Sam Smith, Meg Conan, Dorothy MacAusland, Kate Shaper, Emma Pelegri-O’Day, Julia Halterman, Allison Prevatt (coxswain)], 6:28.04; 2. Bates I, 6:30.77; 3. Trinity (Conn.) I, 6:36.03; 4. Ithaca I, 6:39.16; 5. Williams II, 6:42.00; Puget Sound I, 6:47.47.

Eights Petite Final

1. Smith I [Kathryn (Molly) Johnson, Marie Fatima Santos, Eliza Bryant, Lela Schlenker, Eliza van Lennep, Gabriela Kubik, Chantel Pheiffer, Katherine von Herrmann, Dani Covatta (coxswain)], 6:47.12; 2. St. Lawrence I, 6:51.75; 3. Bates II, 6:53.73; 4. Trinity (Conn.) II, 6:57.17; 5. Willamette, 7:00.55; 6. Ithaca 7:00.66.

Third Final

1. Washington (Md.) [Ericka Malow, Caroline Perry, Sarah Ruh, Jenna Lapointe, Sarah Holland, Kendall Mulligan, Christine Lynch, Catherine Black, Krista Jensen (coxswain)], 6:59.52; 2. Puget Sound II, 7:04.81; 3. St. Lawrence II, 7:12.50; 4. Smith II, 7:14.55.