Both Eights Medal as Bison Rowers Finish Second at Patriot League Championships

Friday, May 15

Pennsauken, N.J. (Cooper River)

8 a.m.

Bucknell University

Patriot League Championships

Bucknell Rowing Team with Patriot League Runner-Up Trophy

Both Eights Medal as Bison Rowers Finish Second at Patriot League Championships

5/15/2026 3:42:00 PM | Women's Rowing

RESULTS

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell's Varsity Eight capped off a magnificent spring season with a silver-medal performance at the Patriot League Championships on Friday, lifting the Bison rowing team to a second-place finish in the team standings. The Second Varsity Eight also medaled with a third-place performance, helping the team to its best result since a runner-up showing in 2022.

Boston University won all four Grand Finals to finish with the maximum 319.5 points. Bucknell rocketed up the standings with the two podium efforts in the eights – the final two races of the day – and finished second overall with 242 points. Navy was third with 209 points, followed by MIT (190), Georgetown (183.5), Holy Cross (157.5), Colgate (151.5), Lehigh (108), and Loyola (36).

With the bulk of the points on the line, senior coxswain Hattie Hopper guided the 1V8+ to a strong start, as the Bison got out to an early lead off the dock. Boston University nudged ahead around the 500-meter mark, but Bucknell hung within a boat length over the full 2,000-meter course. The Bison were only about two seats behind at the halfway mark and crossed the finish line less than two seconds behind. The Terriers finished in 6:26.042, with Bucknell second in 6:28.018. MIT was another 2.8 seconds in back of the Bison, with Navy, Colgate, and Georgetown rounding out the Grand Final.

Evelyn Sherman stroked the 1V8+, and she was joined by Logan Moore, Callie VonderHaar, Caroline Cawley, Kalena Gatesman, Frances Butterfield, Clara Eikeboom, and Bella Guzman.

Just a few minutes earlier, Bucknell's 2V8+, under the direction of freshman coxswain Marley Holifield, took third place in a time of 6:41.046, trailing only Boston University (6:33.426) and Holy Cross (6:40.090). The Bison were just over two seconds faster than Georgetown, with Navy and Lehigh finishing well behind.

Sadye Levensten stroked the 2V8+ and was joined by Colby Bernhard, Caroline Corbett, Victoria Miller-Tuchon, Rosemary Ostrowski, Abaigeal Robertson, Morgan Brill, and Kennedy Narine.

Hopper, Moore, Guzman, Bernhard, Corbett, Miller-Tuchon, Robertson, and Brill are all seniors who wrapped up terrific rowing careers with medals two days before their Commencement Day.

Bucknell's Second Varsity Four qualified for the Grand Final after finishing second to Boston University in the first heat of the morning session. The Bison then finished sixth in the afternoon, cutting 26 seconds off their preliminary time. The Varsity Four placed fourth in its morning heat and was runner-up to Holy Cross in the Petite Final. Likewise, the 1V4+ went 20 seconds faster in the afternoon.

Bucknell medaled multiple boats for the first time since 2022, when the 1V8+ ran away with the gold medal and the 2V8+ finished third.

The Patriot League added the 2V4+ as a fourth scoring race and updated the points allocation last year. Bucknell finished fifth with 193 points in 2025, and under first-year head coach Katy Ruderman, the Bison climbed three spots and improved by 49 points in the standings.

BUCKNELL LINEUPS

Varsity Eight
Cox: Hattie Hopper
Stroke: Evelyn Sherman
7: Logan Moore
6: Callie VonderHaar
5: Caroline Cawley
4: Kalena Gatesman
3: Frances Butterfield
2: Clara Eikeboom
Bow: Bella Guzman

Second Varsity Eight
Cox: Marley Holifield
Stroke: Sadye Levensten
7: Colby Bernhard
6: Caroline Corbett
5: Victoria Miller-Tuchon
4: Rosemary Ostrowski
3: Abaigeal Robertson
2: Morgan Brill
Bow: Kennedy Narine

Varsity Four
Cox: Smith Bumpers
Stroke: Emma Kammann
3: Campbell Coonley
2: Lily Francoeur
Bow: Margaret Greenberg

Second Varsity Four
Cox: Sky Rath
Stroke: Amelia Smith
3: Kaitlyn Furtney
2: Eliza Horne
Bow: Grace Pepper

VARSITY 8 (GRAND FINAL)
1.      BOSTON U.                           6:26.042
2.      BUCKNELL                             6:28.018
3.      MIT                                          6:30.845
4.      NAVY                                      6:31.560
5.      COLGATE                               6:34.802
6.      GEORGETOWN                   6:44.645

2ND VARSITY 8 (GRAND FINAL)
1.      BOSTON U.                           6:33.426
2.      HOLY CROSS                         6:40.090
3.      BUCKNELL                             6:41.046
4.      GEORGETOWN                   6:43.259
5.      NAVY                                      6:51.684
6.      LEHIGH                                   6:54.655

VARSITY 4 (PETITE FINAL)
1.      HOLY CROSS                         7:57.685
2.      BUCKNELL                             8:03.887
3.      LOYOLA                                  8:44.085

2ND VARSITY 4 (GRAND FINAL)
1.      BOSTON U.                           7:26.480
2.      NAVY                                      7:35.751
3.      GEORGETOWN                   7:38.596
4.      LEHIGH                                   7:55.865
5.      HOLY CROSS                         8:00.574
6.      BUCKNELL                             8:02.656

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1.      BOSTON U.                           319.5
2.      BUCKNELL                             242
3.      NAVY                                      209
4.      MIT                                          190
5.      GEORGETOWN                   183.5
6.      HOLY CROSS                         157.5
7.      COLGATE                               151.5
8.      LEHIGH                                   108
9.      LOYOLA                                  36