Previewing SU men’s rowing’s 2026 season: Strong varsity 8, ranked slate
Last year, Syracuse men’s rowing earned a bid to all four IRA Regatta finals. SU's 2026 group is bolstered by a strong sophomore class and varsity 8 boat. Meghan Hendricks | Daily Orange File Photo
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Syracuse men’s rowing enters 2026 on the heels of a historic 2025 season. SU achieved its highest-ever team finish by placing sixth in the Ten Eyck Trophy standings, while its varsity 8 crew secured its second straight sixth-place finish in the IRA National Championship.
Over the summer, six SU athletes competed at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships, headlined by sophomore Nick Bryan, junior Beck Honebein and sophomore Niki Strauss.
The Orange look to build on that success starting Saturday at the Princeton Invite in New Jersey. Here’s everything to know about Syracuse men’s rowing before its spring season:
Fall check-in
Although SU’s season officially begins Saturday, the Orange participated in unofficial races in the fall. Syracuse traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts and Ithaca, where it competed in the 60th Head of the Charles Regatta and the Cornell Fall Classic.
In the former, Syracuse’s varsity 8 placed 14th overall and eighth among collegiate crews, finishing the three-mile course with a time of 14:02.745. Cambridge University Boat Club placed first, beating SU by 21.05 seconds.
The Orange’s fall season concluded on Cayuga Inlet two weeks later, with their V8 turning in the fastest time on the day in the first of two flights. SU crossed the finish line in 11:57.20, 25.40 seconds faster than Cornell.
Spring schedule
Syracuse’s varsity 8 begins its spring campaign tied for No. 7 with Northeastern University in the IRCA/IRA Preseason Poll. It’ll face at least one ranked opponent in each race.
The Orange’s first test comes at the Princeton Invite on April 11. Syracuse will face a field that includes five programs in the preseason top-10, including No. 2 Cal, No. 5 Princeton and No. 6 Brown.
One week later, Syracuse takes on No. 12 Navy and No. 13 Cornell in the Goes Trophy, a meet that dates back to 1955. The Orange have won the meet for five straight years and totaled six consecutive Stagg Trophies, which is given to the team with the most points across the meet’s first three races.
On April 25 and 26, SU will row at the Lake Morey Invite in Fairlee, Vermont. There, Syracuse competes in its last two cup races of the regular season against No. 4 Dartmouth (Packard Cup), No. 14 Boston University (Conlan Cup) and No. 18 Georgetown.
Finally, on May 17, SU lines up with the top crews on the East Coast for the annual ERAC Eastern Sprints Regatta at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts. A strong performance from the Orange would likely clinch a spot in the IRA National Championship Regatta from May 29 to May 31 in Sacramento, California.
Names to know
Nick Bryan
Bryan, a sophomore, was one of 42 rowers recognized on the IRCA’s D1/D2 Heavyweight Men’s Rowing Watchlist for the 2026 season. In his first season with the Orange, Bryan primarily raced in the team’s first varsity 8 crew before transitioning to the second crew.
Bryan played a significant role in the 2V8’s journey to the Grand Final at the 2025 IRA Championships, which tied SU’s best finish in the past 20 years. Additionally, Bryan recently delivered an impressive performance in the World Rowing U23 Championships in Poznan, Poland. Representing his home country of New Zealand, Bryan occupied the four-seat in the men’s eight crew that won a silver medal.
Benjamin Campbell-Reide
Heading into his senior season, Benjamin Campbell-Reide joined Bryan on the IRCA’s D1/D2 Heavyweight Men’s Rowing Watchlist. Last year, Campbell-Reide bounced between the V8 and 2V8 crews but secured a spot on the varsity 8 team at the IRA Regatta.
Last spring, Campbell-Reide received the 2025 Syracuse 8 Courage Award during the annual ‘Cuse Awards. The honor came after he spent over a month in the hospital with internal bleeding caused by a Dieulafoy lesion in his stomach wall. Campbell-Reide made a remarkable recovery and, earlier this year, set a Syracuse indoor two-kilometer record with a time of 5:46.70.
Niki Strauss
Strauss had an impressive freshman season as a member of SU’s varsity 8 crew. He sat in the two-seat of the V8 at the IRA Regatta, where the crew finished in sixth place.
After the regular season ended, Strauss competed in the World Rowing U23 Championships for Austria, where he finished fourth in the Men’s Single Sculls Final C with a time of 7:04.90. He also rowed alongside Bryan and Campbell-Reide on the V8 crew in both fall events for Syracuse, starting his sophomore season on a strong note.
