PENNSAUKEN TOWNSHIP, NJ (May 18, 2025) – The Fairfield University Stags captured the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women's Rowing Championship in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken Township, NJ. The Stags secured the title by compiling 47 points and winning the Varsity Eight grand final, which broke the tiebreaker with three-time defending champion Jacksonville University, propelling Fairfield to the program’s first ever automatic qualifier into the NCAA Championship and its first MAAC Championship title in a quarter-century.
Fairfield, which entered the championship as the No. 4 seeded team, exceeded expectations in two out of the three grand finals. The Stags were projected fourth in the Varsity Four and finished in fourth, collecting six team points. In the Second Varsity Eight, Fairfield was projected fifth and ended up making the podium with a bronze medal finish, good for 14 team points. Heading into the final race of the afternoon, the Varsity Eight, the results would be the deciding factor for the team trophy. In upset fashion, the Stags – which were predicted second – finished with a top time of 06:42.866, winning by a margin of 01.449 over runner-up Stetson University, to claim the gold medal and lockup the team title.
Championship runner-up Jacksonville, also finished with 47 team points, but the third-place finish in the Varsity Eight ultimately ended the team’s three-year reign at the top of the MAAC. Despite the second-place team finish, the Dolphins won gold in the Second Varsity Eight, crossing the finish line in 06:52.909; a margin of 03.414 over silver medalist Marist University (06:56.323), in addition to their second place finish in the Varsity Four.
Marist University finished in third place on the team leaderboard, scoring 41 points. The Red Foxes medaled in two out of the three grand finals, taking third in the Varsity Four and second in the Second Varsity Eight, while ending the afternoon with a fourth place finish in the Varsity Eight.
Sacred Heart University won the final gold medal of the afternoon in grand finals with its Varsity Four win, taking first place in a time of 07:34.859.
The Second Varsity Four, which is not factored into the team scoring but medals, resulted in Sacred Heart winning gold (07:50.838), Jacksonville sliver (07:55.256), and Fairfield bronze (08:28.267), to round out the championship day.
| 2025 MAAC Women's Rowing Championship Standings |
| Place |
School |
Points |
| 1 |
Fairfield* |
47 |
| 2 |
Jacksonville* |
47 |
| 3 |
Marist |
41 |
| 4 |
Stetson |
38 |
| 5 |
Sacred Heart |
36 |
| 6 |
Canisius |
25 |
| 7 |
Robert Morris |
14 |
| 8 |
Iona* |
11 |
| 9 |
Drake* |
11 |
*Tie broken by result of 1V8 finish
Following the conclusion of the championship, the MAAC announced that Fairfield head coach Dave Patterson was named the 2025 MAAC Women’s Rowing Coach of the Year. Additionally, the MAAC released the complete 2025 MAAC Women’s Rowing All-MAAC Teams. The full list can be found below:
| 2025 All-MAAC First Team |
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Alexandra Tomlinson |
Jr. |
Fairfield |
| Molly Squire |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Arianna Welton |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Victoria Conrad |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Catherine Morrissey |
Sr. |
Fairfield |
| Anne Geurts |
So. |
Jacksonville |
| Holly Rosser |
So. |
Jacksonville |
| Lura Johnson |
Jr. |
Jacksonville |
| Gabrielle Insero |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Summer Starrett |
Sr. |
Marist |
| Ella Glover |
So. |
Stetson |
| Ava Manzo |
Sr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Francesca DiCamillo |
Jr. |
Canisius |
| 2025 All-MAAC Second Team |
| Name |
Class |
School |
| Mackenzie Thurlow |
Sr. |
Jacksonville |
| Zuzanna Janusz |
So. |
Fairfield |
| Nyah Lam |
So. |
Jacksonville |
| Abby Dean |
So. |
Marist |
| Sophie Forster |
So. |
Marist |
| Maia Starrwalker |
Jr. |
Stetson |
| Emma Rees |
Sr. |
Stetson |
| Olivia Chasse |
Jr. |
Sacred Heart |
| Hannah Kenefick |
Sr. |
Canisius |
| Ella Connolly |
Fr. |
Robert Morris |
| Jennifer Jackson |
Fr. |
Robert Morris |
| Emma Ibbetson |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Grace Barber |
Sr. |
Iona |
| Jessica Seelinger |
Sr. |
Drake |
Fairfield earns the MAAC automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division I Women’s Rowing Championship. The Stags will learn who they will compete against on Tuesday, May 20 at 5:00 p.m. when the complete field is revealed during the NCAA Selection Show which will broadcast live on NCAA.com.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 13 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 44th year of competition during the 2024-25 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan University, Marist University, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Sacred Heart University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
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