DALLAS (SMU) - SMU rowing completed a scrimmage competition hosting Oklahoma and Texas on White Rock Lake on Saturday and Sunday.
 
"We just wrapped up two solid racing sessions on White Rock Lake here in Dallas," said second year head coach Chase Graham. "It is always great to play host and get to compete against two great programs in Oklahoma and Texas. The competition was productive for our team and we look forward to improving on the lessons learned in the coming weeks. This was the first spring racing of the year for us, and for many on our team, they handled it well and responded positively. This group is hungry for more and there is a driving force in them to be great. That said, there is a lot of work to be done and continued fitness to be gained. Our focus is on improving tomorrow and every session forward."
 
The Mustangs competed against defending NCAA Champs Texas over the weekend. The Mustangs other opponent, Oklahoma, finished in fifth in the Big 12.
 
The Mustangs are coming off a season where they repeated as AAC Champs and made a trip to the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive season. SMU returns 16 student-athletes who competed at the NCAA Championships last season: Josephine Wilson, Sydney Stuelpe, Grace Knudson,Haley Schwenn, Lauren Bilafer, Ashlyn Wilshire, Annabelle New, Anna Fina, Claire Murphy, Sophia Dooley, Jaime Maybery, Ava Ha, Francesca La Marca, Ellie Lewis. Avery Bethel and Paige Horton. Five Mustangs were named first team All-Conference last season and three earned second team all-conference. Among the eight all-conference honorees, Bilafer and Murphy return for this season.
 
In February, freshman Roxy Welford was named to the 2025 Preseason ACC Rowing Watch List. The Watch List includes one student-athlete from each program, nominated by their respective schools. The ACC is the only conference that has a preseason rowing watch list.
 
"Next up for us is spring camp at Canal 54, in Florida," continued Graham.  "It will be a good change of scenery for the team and a spot we can get a different training stimulus. After that we will head to Ohio State to race Ohio State and Indiana in early April, to kick off our season officially."
 
The Mustangs regular season features three events before the ACC Championship at Clemson, S.C. in May. SMU competes against Indiana and Ohio State in Columbus on April 5. They return to the Big 10 Invite in Sarasota, Florida April 18-19 and they take on the Longhorn Invite April 25-26.