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One of Connecticut College’s most heralded rowers, Jessica Archibald '95 was a program-changing athlete as three-year stroke of the women’s varsity eight. She helped lead her boat to tremendous achievement at some of New England’s biggest rowing events.

At the Head of the Charles Regatta, the Camels won the gold medal in 1992, becoming the first crew in Connecticut College history to win a HOC event. The crew then earned HOC bronze in 1994. The varsity eight was successful at the New England Championships in 1992, 1994, and 1995, with silver medal honors each year.

Under Archibald’s leadership as a senior team captain, the Camels won the petit final (7th place overall), the highest finish for a Division III school, at the 1995 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships. In addition, Conn earned national ranking, including a high of second in both 1994 and 1995.

Archibald received the 1995 Anita L. DeFrantz ‘74 Award, as the outstanding female senior athlete, the first year the award was given. That summer, she competed in the Women’s British Henley Regatta in addition to races in the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Archibald also had much success following graduation. She won nine national championships and two Canadian Henley Championships, placed seventh at the Pan American Trials (doubles), and was fifth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials (pairs). In 2002, she shifted from larger boats to one- and two-person shells. That year, she was third in singles at the Canadian Henley and seventh in double sculls at the U.S. National Team selection regatta.

In 2004, Archibald ended her competitive rowing career with a fifth-place finish in the couple at the U.S. Olympic Trials and second place in the championship double event at the Head of the Charles.