Southampton Seawolves Sail Into Roth Regatta Tradition

It might have been their first time at Roth Pond… but they were far from strangers to the water.

On May 1, students from the Stony Brook Southampton campus made waves at the 37th annual Roth Regatta, joining a beloved Stony Brook University tradition for the first time with an ambitious two-boat debut.

The year-end water race, organized by the Undergraduate Student Government, challenges students to build seaworthy boats using only cardboard, duct tape, and paint before racing 200 yards across Roth Pond. Among 100 teams across two divisions, Southampton left its mark from start to finish competing in both.

As one of the most anticipated, high-attendance end-of-semester events, the contest offers a break from pre-finals stress while bringing Seawolves together. With the tradition expanding, it reflects an increasingly connected university - on and off the water.

"We have a shared sense of identity here," said Zarin Khan, who is pursuing an MFA creative writing degree taking courses at Stony Brook's Southampton and Manhattan locations. "Being here makes us feel like we finally belong."

The cross-campus participation naturally introduced Southampton's unique coastal identity to the Roth Regatta legacy. A shared academic and experiential connection to ocean environments among the students made their presence at a water-based competition especially fitting.

"I took physical oceanography, so I know how the water moves and the science behind getting this boat across the pond… but I'm really just having fun," said Rocco Maner, a graduate student in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences and a resident of Lowville, New York. "There are so many different people and programs at Southampton. Marine science is a part of who I am, but it's about being out here with everybody else."

The Regatta rookies fully embraced this year's video game theme, sailing handmade Mario Kart and Minecraft-inspired vessels, sporting matching costumes and T-shirts that championed the Seawolves by the sea. Both teams - Bullet Bill and the Valkyries - made it to the finish line, surrounded by the cheers of their peers.

"As a staff member, I really see it as an important part of my role to help connect our students here in Southampton to the larger Seawolf traditions and experiences across all campuses," said Richard Czyzyk, director of student life at Stony Brook Southampton. "At the same time, it's about keeping what makes Southampton special. Creating those opportunities lets our Seawolves by the Sea feel part of the bigger campus community while still holding onto their own unique identity."

- Kailyn Penney