The men’s and women’s crews are about to rock the proverbial boat this season.

After a statement-setting first-place finish against Colgate University’s varsity eight boat this past weekend, the men’s crew is poised to take to the waters with confidence this season.

The women’s crew, which won back-to-back national titles in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, is looking to regain the Division-III crown as it rebuilds its roster.

The men lost only three seats on the varsity eight boat to graduation, something that has senior Manny Delgado, the second seat on the varsity eight, excited for the season.  

“Our team goals for the year have been set high,” he said. “Last year we had a remarkable year, and we feel that we can be even faster this year.”

Delgado, senior Jeff Doherty and sophomore Pete Orlando have moved up to the varsity eight to join six returning rowers. Head Coach Dan Robinson also has high hopes for the season.

“We’re going to do fine this season,” he said. “We’re returning with more depth and experience in the varsity eight, we have six out of nine people returning and we just beat Colgate this past weekend. Our chances are good if we keep improving.”

Last May, the varsity eight came in first place at the New York State Championships at Whitney Point. The Bombers also won the novice eight race. At ECACs, the varsity eight reached the semifinals and placed fourth. Their novice eight boat made it to the petite final and placed fifth.

In this past weekend’s race against Colgate, the women’s crew’s second varsity eight and novice eight boats both brought home wins. With All-Americans Stephanie Knabe ’06 and Heather Luke ’06 absent from the roster this season, the Bombers must look to freshmen like Alexandra Mitton to mature quickly.

“We have two boats with a pretty good mix of experienced and brand-new rowers,” she said. “Overall, we’re a pretty strong team, just getting used to each other and gaining more experience. It should be interesting to see how we start off the season.”

The women’s crew has just finished the best three-year run in the country. Though they graduated 14 seniors last year, they have an all-new lineup ready to go and the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association ranked the team second in the preseason poll.

Robinson, who is the husband of women’s crew Head Coach Becky Robinson, said the women’s primary challenge will be filling the vacant seats left from graduating seniors.

“They have great depth but we still have expectations for a championship,” he said. “We only returned two seniors so we have seven seats to fill.”

The men’s crew has no depth problem. Freshman Will Matthewson, the bow in the novice eight boat, said the Bombers have just the right amount of returning veterans for their more experienced boats.

“Thirteen of our 29 guys are novice rowers, which leaves 16 varsity, just enough for two boats,” he said. “The novice rowers lack experience, but we should improve after a few weeks of rowing together.”

The men’s team races Saturday against Hobart College, Marist College, Cornell University, Massachusetts and Trinity (Conn.) College at the Cayuga Lake Inlet. The women’s team faces William Smith College, Marist and Trinity. Both races begin at 10 a.m.