COOPER RIVER, N.J. -Bates College had its best showing ever in the NCAA Division III Women’s Rowing Championships, finishing second Saturday in the finals.

Both of Bates’ two boats fared the best they ever had in this, the Bobcats’ third (and third straight) appearance at NCAAs.

The Bobcats’ first varsity boat placed second in the Grand Final to rival Williams, which claimed its fourth straight NCAA title, 6:28.04 to 6:30.77.

Bates surged in the middle part of the race to stay even with the Ephs for a while, before Williams put on a final surge over the last 500 meters for the win. In the meantime, Bates I surged past rival Trinity I, ultimately defeating the third-place Bantams (6:36.03) by more than five seconds.

Rounding out the field were Ithaca I (6:39.16), Williams II (6:42.00) and Puget Sound I (6:47.47).

Bates’ previous best finish in the Grand Final was third place in 2007.

Just before the Bobcats’ performance in the Grand Final, the Bates II boat went a long way to ensuring a place ahead of all teams but Williams, outrowing Trinity II in the final 500 meters to claim an impressive third-place finish in the Petite Final. Bates II finished the course in 6:53.73, impressively close behind the No. 1 boats of Smith (6:47.12) and St. Lawrence (6:51.75), and more than three seconds and half a boat length ahead of rival Trinity II (6:57.17). The Bates second boat’s performance far outdid last year’s entry, when it placed second in the Third Final.

Four Bates seniors plan to walk at Commencement back on campus tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.: captain and three-time All-American Nicole Ritchie (East Dummerston, Vt.), captain Caitlin Murphy (Duxbury, Mass.), Emily Chandler (North Yarmouth, Maine) and Laura Hubbell (Yarmouth, Maine).