Photo courtesy of Navy Crew
Named for William M. Smith, Princeton Class of 1925, the Smith Trophy is the only team trophy known to be awarded for the combined race results of men’s heavyweight and lightweight eight races. And, Navy and Princeton crews are the two programs that compete annually for this trophy.
Navy won what is considered the inaugural event in 1974.
From 1974-2013 the results were tabulated from winners of the 1V, 2V, and 1F races; beginning in 2014, 3V races replaced the freshman races.
Points are awarded as one point for each winning eight such that the school winning four of the six races is awarded the trophy. In the event of ties, the MV8+ winning eight determines the winner of the trophy.
A special thanks to John Flynn, Navy Assistant Heavyweight Crew Coach for his interest and research into the provenance and information about this trophy and also to Princeton’s crew coaches for sharing Princeton’s rowing history in Rowing at Princeton: 1872–2000.
There was no competition for the trophy in 1990, 1992, and 2008 – 2012.
Due to COVID-19 there were also no races in 2020 and 2021.
Princeton leads the series 36-6.
Please send any additional information on this trophy to the NavyLights Staff Historian. Navy and Princeton anecdotal evidence indicates that this competition may have been introduced earlier than 1974; however, records at both Navy and Princeton begin in 1974.
The Smith Trophy Winning Crews
| Year | Winner | Series N – P |
| 1974 | Navy | 1 – 0 |
| 1975 | Princeton | 1 – 1 |
| 1976 | Princeton | 1 – 2 |
| 1977 | Princeton | 1 – 3 |
| 1978 | Navy | 2 – 3 |
| 1979 | Navy | 3 – 3 |
| 1980 | Navy | 4 – 3 |
| 1981 | Princeton | 4 – 4 |
| 1982 | Princeton | 4 – 5 |
| 1983 | Princeton | 4 – 6 |
| 1984 | Princeton | 4 – 7 |
| 1985 | Navy | 5 – 7 |
| 1986 | Princeton | 5 – 8 |
| 1987 | Princeton | 5 – 9 |
| 1988 | Princeton | 5 – 10 |
| 1989 | Princeton | 5 – 11 |
| 1990 | No Competition | 5 – 11 |
| 1991 | Princeton | 5 – 12 |
| 1992 | No Competition | 5 – 12 |
| 1993 | Navy | 6 – 12 |
| 1994 | Princeton | 6 – 13 |
| 1995 | Princeton | 6 – 14 |
| 1996 | Princeton | 6 – 15 |
| 1997 | Princeton | 6 – 16 |
| 1998 | Princeton | 6 – 17 |
| 1999 | Princeton | 6 – 18 |
| 2000 | Princeton | 6 – 19 |
| 2001 | Princeton | 6 – 20 |
| 2002 | Princeton | 6 – 21 |
| 2003 | Princeton | 6 – 22 |
| 2004 | Princeton | 6 – 23 |
| 2005 | Princeton | 6 – 24 |
| 2006 | Princeton | 6 – 25 |
| 2007 | Princeton | 6 – 26 |
| 2008 | No Competition | 6 – 26 |
| 2009 | No Competition | 6 – 26 |
| 2010 | No Competition | 6 – 26 |
| 2011 | No Competition | 6 – 26 |
| 2012 | No Competition | 6 – 26 |
| 2013 | Princeton | 6 – 27 |
| 2014 | Princeton | 6 – 28 |
| 2015 | Princeton | 6 – 29 |
| 2016 | Princeton | 6 – 30 |
| 2017 | Princeton | 6 – 31 |
| 2018 | Princeton | 6 – 32 |
| 2019 | Princeton | 6 – 33 |
| 2020 | No Competition | 6 – 33 |
| 2021 | No Competition | 6 – 33 |
| 2022 | Princeton | 6 – 34 |
| 2023 | Princeton | 6 – 35 |
| 2024 | Princeton | 6 – 36 |
| 2025 |