CHERRY HILL, N.J. (SMU) - In the last regular season regatta, SMU was led by its first varsity eight boat's runner-up finish at the Cherry Hill Invitational on the Cooper River.

The first varsity eight boat started the morning out strong for the Mustangs, winning its heat with a 6:48.72 in the first race of the day to advance to the grand final. In the final, SMU shaved two seconds off its time in heat to race to a runner-up finish. First and second place in each heat as well as the next two fastest overall times from each heat advanced to grand finals. The remaining boats competed in the petite final. 

The second varsity eight boat followed up the first varsity's performance by also racing into the grand final with a second-place finish in its heat (7:07.30). The final saw an incredibly tight race as the Mustangs edged three other boats to finish in third place. SMU narrowly missed out on another runner-up finish, coming in just over one second behind UConn. The second-place boat and the six-place boat were separated by just six seconds in an incredibly competitive race. 

SMU's first varsity four also grabbed a top-finish in its qualifying heat, following it with a fifth-place finish in the heat. The Mustangs raced two boats in the second varsity four race, with the "A" boat finishing third in the grand final while the "B" boat came in at fourth in the petite final. 

Next up for the Mustangs is the American Conference Championship on May 12, which will also be held in Cherry Hill on the Cooper River. 

Results: 

1V8+
Cox: Fogg | Rowers: Traylor, van Meel, Sands, Pierce, Rigg, Vanek, Courteau, Moore
Heat 2:
1. SMU
2. MIT
3. Marist
4. Holy Cross
5. Lehigh
6. Fordham

Grand Final
1. Rutgers
2. SMU
3. Bucknell
4. Georgetown
5. Jacksonville
6. MIT

2V8+
Cox: Chambers | Rowers: Burckhardt, Scott, Bentley, Peterson, Greene, Rose, Jewell, Olumese
Heat 1:
1. Rutgers
2. SMU
3. Fordham
4. Georgetown
5. MIT

Grand Final
1. Rutgers
2. UConn
3. SMU
4. Fordham
5. Lehigh
6. Bucknell

1V4+
Cox: Fitchett | Rowers: Snyder, MacAdam, Helmick-Schwarzmiller, Smith
Heat 1:
1. SMU
2. UConn
3. Jacksonville
4. Bucknell
5. Fordham

Grand Final
1. Rutgers
2. UConn
3. Jacksonville
4. Bucknell
5. SMU
6. Holy Cross

2V4+
"A": Cox: O'Toole | Rowers: Farmen, Papesch, Hamilton, Thibeau
"B": Cox: Miller | Rowers: Knight, Daniels, Polley, Lei
Heat 1:
1. Rutgers A
2. UConn B
3. SMU A
4. Marist
5. Fordham

Heat 2: 
1. UConn A
2. Bucknell
3. Georgetown
4. Rutgers B
5. SMU B

Grand Final
1. Rutgers A
2. UConn B
3. SMU A
4. UConn A
5. Bucknell
6. Georgetown

Petite Final: 
1. Fordham
2. Marist
3. Rutgers B
4. SMU B