Bates rowing provides an environment in which teamwork thrives and students dedicate themselves to one of the most rigorous and rewarding sports on campus. The goal of Bates Rowing is to create a strong work ethic and to compete at the sport's collegiate highest level. Our students are excited by the challenges of both rowing and competition, and they thrive on the camaraderie of the team. The program seeks dedicated student-athletes who have the desire to excel both academically and athletically. Top college-bound athletes seeking one of the best liberal-arts colleges in the country should consider Bates College.

Rowing at Bates has a bright future. The College is committed to providing the environment and support necessary for success. That commitment was rewarded in 2001-02 when the Bobcat women's varsity eight were ranked 13th in the nation and the women's novice eight won the program's first national Avaya Collegiate Championships. The team’s dedication to this high standard of performance is sure to lay the foundation for the continued success of the program.

Bates rowing offers dedicated student-athletes an opportunity to contribute to a team that is part of a NCAA Division III program that is nationally recognized in many sports. Bates has taken great strides to support the belief that academic and athletic excellence must coexist as part of a quality liberal-arts education. With coach Andrew Carter’s commitment to recruiting and teaching, Bates rowing certainly reflects that notion and shares the winning tradition of Bates athletics.

At Bates, rowing spans a 21-week season, divided into a nine-week segment in the fall semester and a 12-week spring segment. The fall season involves competition at various head-style races such as the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta, while the spring is characterized by sprint racing. Traditionally, Bates has emphasized the New England Rowing Championships (NERC) and qualifying for the Avaya Collegiate Championship (ACC). With the advent of a NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing Championship in 2002, the women’s focus will shift to include this ultimate collegiate championship.

Bates students take athletic competition seriously and pursue it with uncompromising energy in the same way they approach their academic and career goals. Competing at the NCAA Division III level encourages a balance between academics and athletics, the kind of balance that can serve them well in the professions and goals they pursue after graduation. Varsity athletics in particular give students experience in setting goals, honoring commitments, working collaboratively and meeting challenges — skills that can be applied intelligently to community volunteer work, postgraduate study, business, the arts, public service and nearly every other field of human endeavor.

The Bates boathouse is located less than 15 minutes from campus. The crews row along eight miles of the Androscoggin River amidst undisturbed Maine beauty. The waterway is shared only with occasional fishermen and wildlife including the odd bald eagle. The College’s fleet consists of numerous eight- and four-oared shells, with oars enough to outfit all boats. Bates’ indoor training facility is housed in the Merrill Gymnasium and includes 16 Concept II ergometers with computer interface. In addition, Bates has weight training facilities and sports medicine and support staffs that are among the finest Division III collegiate programs.