Students, alums, and members of the College community gathered to celebrate the official opening of the College’s new boathouse on Lake Onota in Pittsfield, Mass., on Saturday. The project’s construction value was $4.7 million. The total cost, including planning, acquisition of adjacent property, and new docks, was $7 million.
The crew teams have spent the last two seasons without a boathouse and moved into the new space on March 28. “We were in a tent — like a temporary setup at a summer camp — for [my] whole first season, and it just always felt a little hectic … even though we made the best of it,” said Sophia Clavenna ’27, a member of the women’s crew team.
Despite the fact that the boathouse has been in use since March, Maddy Andersen ’25 shared the continued excitement about the space. “I think that [the] newness of it still hasn’t worn off,” she said. “Even though we’ve been there for a semester, I think every day I’m like, ‘We’re so lucky to have this space.’”
Following an alum row in the morning, attendees toured the boathouse and then gathered to listen to speeches from members of the College community.
Athletic Director Lisa Melendy spoke first, recounting the many successes of the College’s crew teams and thanking the people involved in the boathouse’s construction.
In President Maud S. Mandel’s speech, she emphasized the grit and adaptability of the College’s crew teams. “There’s a sense of community, there’s a sense of teamwork, the ability to shrug off less-than-perfect conditions … and push through to build something truly great,” Mandel said.
Marc Mandel and Paula Thoms, head coaches of men’s and women’s crew respectively, highlighted their gratitude for and enthusiasm about the new boathouse. Abby Murphy ’25, who is a co-captain of women’s crew, and Brij Howard-Sarin ’26, a member of men’s crew, also gave speeches reflecting on their personal journeys on the teams.
Scott Schweighauser ’83, who rowed on the men’s team while at the College, gave the final speech. “This particular structure is so much more [than just a building] — it’s an aspirational space,” he told the crowd. “Williams rowers have always been quiet and confident and exceptional. It’s our secret sauce, and I hope that this boathouse, despite its new spaces, won’t change any of that.”
Following the speeches, a women’s eight racing shell was dedicated to Nancy Storrs ’73, who competed in the first women’s rowing Olympics in 1976 and went on to coach at the St. Catharines Rowing Club, which is where Thoms learned to row. Thoms reflected on the impact that Storrs had on her as a female coach, calling her a “force to be reckoned with.” “[She] exuded confidence and excellence and care and became an early influence to me in what’s possible as a female coach,” Thoms said.
Earlier in the day, a men’s coxed four was named for Paralympian Ben Washburne ’23.
Nyamekye Akosah ’25 and Isabel Mikheev ’25, members of the men’s and women’s teams, respectively, closed out the program by cutting the ribbon, opening the boathouse officially.
Noah Phipps ’25, a co-captain of men’s crew, reflected on the significance of the new boathouse for him and his team. “I think Brij captured it well, talking about the boathouse as a space for community and a space for learning,” he said. “We can now take our time [and] spend time together, whether that’s before practice, having more space to warm up or more importantly after practice.”
