On Friday, March 30, down in Florida, the University of Massachusetts rowing team started its 2026 spring season. The Minutewomen returned home from spring training in Lake Ridge, Va., where their former biggest rival, George Washington University, held an exhibition of race sprints.
The Mid-American Conference announced the addition of rowing to its catalogue over the summer. UMass got a taste of the MAC during the last spring season at the Ford Cup Regatta/MAC Invitational. As participants in the inaugural season of MAC rowing, the Minutewomen are unranked and are ready to face their new competitors.
Sarasota 2k
The Sarasota 2k, held March 27-28, in Sarasota, Fla., served as the opening benchmark for UMass. In addition to the Minutewomen, there was 18 Division I programs from different conferences. High Point University was the only MAC opponent at this race.
“It’s a really good race to start off the year,” head coach Eric Carcich said. “There are four or five teams that are ranked nationally in the top 20.”
After finishing mid-pack last year at Sarasota, UMass were looking to break into the top 10 this year. Since it is so early in the season, boat speeds were not finalized. However, it offers a good gauge as to where the Minutewomen might stand, in the MAC and nationally.
Knecht Cup
Two weeks after Florida, the Minutewomen travel slightly south to Cherry Hill, N.J., for the Knecht Cup from April 11-12.
This race will help UMass further gauge where it stands in the conference. Eastern Michigan, Delaware and Temple are attending as well, which is the majority of the MAC women’s rowing competitors. The two missing are High Point and Toledo.
The speed won’t be the same as in Sarasota, making for a very competitive environment with similar speed levels. Around 24 varsity and junior varsity eights will raise the stakes of the weekend. The tighter field should allow the Minutewomen to directly compare results with conference rivals in multiple events.
Holy Cross/Boston College/UConn
Just a week later, UMass heads east to Worcester, Mass., to compete against Holy Cross, Boston College and the UConn on Lake Quinsigamond. Holy Cross extended the invitation to the Minutewomen for Saturday, April 18. The race is a tradition between the three schools, with an invitation also extended to MIT. Sacred Heart will also be in attendance. This regatta provides a more regional, head-to-head style competition that often produces close finishes and spirited rivalries.
Eastern Sprints
After a weekend off, the Minutemen will return to Lake Quinsigamond on Sunday, May 3, for the Eastern Sprints. A total of 18 teams will be competing in this regatta. There is a full-scale broadcast of the races, alongside the typical live updates and results.
“[It is a] massive tune-up before the MAC Championships,” Carcich said. “It’s a really good race to get our finals strokes in before going to the MAC Championships.”
Previous Atlantic 10 competitors, Ivy League programs and top-ranked schools will be in attendance, making it one of the most competitive regattas of the regular season.
MAC Rowing Championships
The moment the Minutewomen have prepared for all season, the MAC Championships, will be on Saturday, May 16 in Ypsilanti, Mich. The MAC announced Eastern Michigan will host the inaugural season for approximately the next three years. The championship regatta will feature all the MAC competitors that UMass has faced throughout the spring, creating a familiar yet high-pressure environment.
Results from the conference championship determine if the Minutewomen have a shot at the NCAA Championships in Gainesville, G.A. Only one program from the MAC Championships advances automatically.
Competition at the NCAA Championship ranges from other conference championship victors. The SEC, like the MAC, recently added rowing, which gave Alabama, Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma a pathway to the Division I Championships. Other schools have moved conferences as well, and the Big Ten added Tulsa and Old Dominion, creating a fiercer competition throughout women’s collegiate rowing. There are 11 at-large spots given to teams who do not automatically qualify.
“You need the whole team to perform on that day to be the best, by points, in the MAC, earning yourself a trip to Lake Lanier,” Carcich said.
Olivia Thibodeaux can be reached at [email protected].
