MEDFORD, MA (May 8, 2026) – Two-time defending New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) champion Tufts University Women's Rowing will aim to defend its titles at the 2026 conference championship on Sunday as part of the National Invitational Rowing Championships (NIRC) on Lake Quinsigamond.
Championship Details
2026 NIRC / NESCAC Rowing Championships
Dates: Sunday, May 10, 2026
Location: Worcester, MA - Lake Quinsigamond (
Directions)
Live Coverage:
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The NESCAC women's champion will be the team with the highest combined point total from the first varsity and second varsity races at the NIRC, using the NCAA point-scoring system. The women's champion will be awarded the conference's automatic qualifier bid to the NCAA Division III Championships.
At last year's NESCAC Championship, Tufts won the conference title decisively with first-place finishes by the first and second varsity eights. Wesleyan University was the runner-up and Wiliams College was third. In 2024, the Jumbos were NESCAC champions for the first time after winning the 1V8 and placing second in the 2V8.
Five boats overall will compete for the Jumbos at the NIRC regatta on Sunday. In addition to the 1V8 and 2V8, Tufts will race in the third and fourth varsity races. Two Jumbo teams are entered in the 4V8. The first and second varsity results will count significantly towards a possible at-large berth into NCAA's if the Jumbos do not win the NESCAC Championship. Racing begins at 8:20 AM on Sunday.
The Jumbos have won the last three Points Trophy competitions at the NIRC, representing the top overall team performance. Last year, Tufts won the first, second, third and fourth varsity grand finals in a dominating performance at the NIRC. The Jumbos went on to win their second consecutive NCAA Championship.
Tufts won the Points Trophy at last weekend's New England Rowing Championships led by wins in the second, third and fourth varsity grand finals. The Jumbos were also fifth in the 1V8, third in a 1V4 and second in a 2V4. The Jumbo 1V8 was third among NESCSAC varsity teams behind Williams and Bates.
The projected lineups for the Jumbos on Sunday are as follows:
1V8+:
Hannah Jiang (C),
Rose Tinkjian,
Sami Haynes,
Josie Monroe,
Sydney Barr,
Saskia Petitt,
Celia Carson,
Sam Dodds,
Emma Lyle.
2V8+:
Maddie Rosato (C),
Erica Wayland,
Katherine Tombaugh,
Zenani Himlin-Mayekiso,
Aubyn Mackey,
Sonia Haynes,
Claire Carson,
Lecia Sun,
Sonja Wartman.
3V8+:
Mackenna Billington (C),
Ava Chan,
Isla Ramsden,
Ava Elliot,
Hudson Saunders,
Sheelyn Pharr,
Nazira Collins,
Sanjana Rao,
Anna Lavin.
4V8+A:
AJ Nguyen (C),
Hazel Krumm,
Sylvia Popper,
Jacqueline Mulle,
Nora Redding,
Saskia Hood,
Elina Francis,
Afton Juracek,
Ella Tuck.
4V8+B:
Alex Boyer (C),
Fiona Smirl,
Elise Justman,
Sophia Shah,
Macie DiGuiseppe,
Olivia Langton,
Maddy Wood,
Alice Wall,
Elizabeth Chin.
--JUMBOS--
