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Syracuse women’s rowing enters the 2026 season looking to build on another competitive year that kept the Orange among the nation’s top programs. After finishing 12th at the NCAA Championships last season and earning an at-large bid for the fifth straight year, SU proved it could still compete with the country’s elite.

The Orange advanced boats into multiple championship races, highlighted by the varsity four placing second in the B final and the varsity eight winning the C final. Syracuse also qualified all five boats for the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship finals, ultimately finishing behind powerhouse Stanford but remaining in the conference’s upper tier.

Syracuse hovered between No. 10 and No. 12 in the Pocock College Rowing Coaches Association Poll and had notable performances, including gold-medal finishes from the third varsity boats at the New York State Collegiate Championships. The Orange also secured key head-to-head wins early in the spring and remained competitive against ranked opponents Princeton, Michigan and Ohio State.

While the team fell short of repeating as ACC champions, its consistent top-12 national standing showed its place among Division I rowing’s strongest programs.

Here’s a look at Syracuse’s 2026 season as it looks to continue the momentum:

Strong fall sets tone

Syracuse ended its autumn slate with a home race against Cornell that served as an early measuring stick. The 4,000-meter race, followed by a 1,000-meter sprint, gave Syracuse a chance to evaluate lineups and build chemistry before winter training. Head coach Luke McGee praised the Orange’s depth.

“Overall, I thought it was a strong team performance,” McGee said. “It was a lot of our rowers’ first race against an outside opponent, and I was very pleased.”

Following the event, McGee emphasized the team’s long-term focus heading into the spring.

“Just have to keep training, getting fit and getting strong,” McGee said. “We have a long way to go before our next race. We’ll be a different beast by the time spring rolls around.”

The Orange also gained valuable international experience during the offseason, with six athletes invited to national team training camps.

Rosie Turnbull (Australia senior team), Minaya Bishop and Bronte Cullen (Australia Under-23), Mackenzie Tuffin (New Zealand senior team), Ellie-Kate Hutchinson (Great Britain senior team) and Ella McKinley (Canada senior camp) all competed for spots ahead of the 2026 World Rowing Championships.

The opportunities added elite-level experience to a roster already known for its international depth.

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2026 Schedule

Syracuse begins its spring campaign ranked No. 12 in the preseason CRCA poll and faces a demanding schedule filled with ranked opponents. The slate mirrors last season’s challenges, offering multiple opportunities for Syracuse to climb the rankings before postseason racing.

The Orange open competition at the Doc Hosea Invitational in late March before racing No. 3 Yale and Cornell at the Cayuga Cup on April 4. Last season, SU dominated the Big Red in every race but struggled to keep pace with Yale across the regatta. Yale has won the Cayuga Cup in each of the last two seasons, sweeping Syracuse in every race in 2025.

In mid-April, the Orange will compete in the Ivy Invitational and the New York State Championships, looking to defend their title in third varsity four and second place in third varsity eight from last year’s NYS Championships.

Later in the month, Syracuse will row in the Big Ten/ACC Double Dual against No. 21 Ohio State and No. 11 Michigan.

With several ACC rivals also ranked — including Stanford, Virginia, Duke, Miami, North Carolina, Clemson and Cal — conference competition will again play a major role in determining Syracuse’s NCAA positioning.

Three rowers to watch

Senior captain Ellie-Kate Hutchinson enters 2026 as one of Syracuse’s most experienced athletes. She was named to the CRCA Athletes to Watch List. Hutchinson, a 2025 All-ACC First Team Selection and U23 World Championships gold medalist, has been part of the program’s most successful stretch, including the 2024 ACC championship crew. Competing in the varsity eight at multiple NCAA championships, she provides stability to a lineup replacing key veterans.

Sophomore Niamh “Acorn” Cassidy earned an honorable mention on the CRCA Athletes to Watch List after rowing in the varsity eight throughout last season. Typically competing in the four-seat, Cassidy helped Syracuse reach the ACC Grand Final and race at the NCAA Championships. With another year of experience, she’s expected to play an even larger role in the Orange’s top boat.

Kansas transfer Kateryna Ustiuzhanina arrives with international credentials and was named to the ACC Preseason Watch List. Ustiuzhanina previously earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors and an All-American Honorable Mention honors while also competing for the Ukrainian national team, where she captured a European Rowing Championship gold medal. Her addition gives Syracuse a proven veteran capable of impacting multiple lineups.

Published on March 24, 2026 at 11:31 pm
Contact Ellie: esrand@syr.edu