SMU rowing returns to the water at the Orlando Invite, facing a loaded field after showing speed and depth with strong results at the Sarasota 2K.
SMU rowing is back in action this weekend, and the Orlando Invite offers a strong early measuring stick for where the Mustangs stand in the national picture.
The SMU rowing team travels to Lake Pickett in Orlando, Florida for its second event of the season, lining up against one of the toughest fields it will see before championship racing begins.
The Orlando Invite features a stacked group that includes No. 11 UCF, No. 13 Alabama, No. 14 Duke, No. 15 Miami, No. 19 Penn, No. 24 Oklahoma, Clemson and SMU.
For the Mustangs, it’s a chance to build on their promising opening showing and see how their top boats compare against several ranked programs in one weekend.
SMU starts racing Friday morning with the third varsity eight at 7:00 a.m. CT, followed by the first varsity eight, second varsity eight, first varsity four and second varsity four. Competition continues Saturday with another full slate on the water.
The Mustangs head into Orlando with some momentum. In their most recent outing at the Sarasota 2K, SMU captured first-place finishes in both the 1V8 and 2V8, showing impressive speed right away.
The team also reached the A final in four of five boats, a sign that the lineup has both front-end pace and overall depth. On the second day of racing, SMU posted top-five finishes in the 1V8 and 3V8 while also taking first in the 2V4 B final.
One athlete to keep an eye on is Sophia Dooley, who earned a spot on the ACC Preseason Watch List.
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That recognition added to the buzz surrounding the Mustangs entering the spring, and this weekend gives SMU another opportunity to prove it belongs in the conversation with the conference’s top crews.
After Orlando, SMU won’t have much time to reset, with the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh coming up next week.
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