The varsity eight turned in the William Smith College rowing team’s top performance at the Head of the Genesee regatta. The Herons’ top crew earned a silver medal on Saturday.

Previously, the Head of the Genesee featured a morning head race and an afternoon sprint. The sprint time was tripled and added to the head race time to calculate the overall winner. This year’s race was only a head race.

In the women’s collegiate eight event, the varsity eight of Hannah Glenshaw, Laurie VanBenschoten, Karoline Loretan, Bridget Kiejna, Elizabeth Houston, Madeline Cook, Margaret Cameron, Jennifer Sullivan, and Jackie Steinman covered the Genesee River course in 18:09.07. The Herons trailed first place RIT by 17.93 seconds, but enjoyed a 25.41 second margin over third place Hamilton. There were 20 entries in the event, including William Smith’s second varsity eight, which finished ninth overall and third among second varsity eights.

The Herons also had two entries in the Women’s Novice Eight event. The first novice eight of Crystal Leatvanich, Catherine DiCara, Anna Moreau, Annika Linden, Lindsay Carr, Victoria Malamas, Mimi Allen, Gabby Fraser, and Alexa Tierney placed fourth in a field of 12 crews, posting a time of 21:08.49. They were just 7.24 seconds away from a podium finish. The William Smith second novice eight was eighth overall and second among second novice eights.

The Herons will conclude their fall racing schedule on Oct. 29, when they compete in the Head of the Fish regatta in Saratoga Springs.