FSN 2026 Division 1 Men’s Rowing “Way Too Early” Top-25 Rankings

December 24, 2025

The For Stars Network Staff is pleased to announce our “Way Too Early” Top 25 Rankings for Division 1 Men’s Rowing ahead of the New Year. Now that Fall Racing has come to a close and teams out East make their way inside to the tanks, it was time to officially announce our “Way Too Early” Division 1 Men’s Rowing Rankings, decided upon due to results from a handful of Fall Racing Regattas and scrimmages, as well as the percentage of athletes retained from last year’s Championship Lineups, and talent headed into the 2026 Season.

Cal tops the FSN Way Too Early Rankings for 2026. The Golden Bears succeeded in the First-Ever MPSF Rowing Championships held at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, California against their historic-foes, University of Washington, and coastal powerhouse, Stanford University, along with Gonzaga, Oregon State, University of San Diego (USD), Santa Clara, and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to round-out the eight schools in the newly-formed conference. What was then eight schools competing in the MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), is now a mixture of six schools, with Gonzaga, San Diego, and Santa Clara remaining independent to race out east at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta held in New Jersey come May to vie for an automatic qualification at the IRA National Championships, this time around out west at the iconic, Sacramento State Aquatic Center racing on Lake Natoma in Sacramento, California the last weekend in May 2026. This is the first year that the Dad Vail Regatta has been granted four automatic qualifiers in the Men’s Heavyweight Varsity Eight. These three West Coast programs will not only add more unpredictability to the scene, but an entirely different level of competition than the regatta has seen in year’s past. The University of British Columbia (UBC) Men’s Rowing Program signed with the MPSF earlier this Fall, with Brown Grad Transfer and 2025 FSN Top-25 Rower, Oliver Page-Kuhr, bringing his talent up North.

Through Cal’s devastating “crab” in the Semi-Final on Day 2 of the National Championship in New Jersey, the program was left out of the Grand Final, taking on the B-Final on Day 3, an event the Golden Bears aren’t too familiar with. Through their solid returners, Conference Championship win, and minor loss to Washington in their annual Dual, Cal’s roster is stacked beyond measure.

These Way-Too Early Rankings were debated by FSN’s core staffers, even including For Stars Network CEO/Founder, Hudson Forster. Ultimately, this is the general consensus of that list, and out of the 36 Heavyweight Men’s Division 1 Programs, notable programs such as Hobart, Jacksonville, and Santa Clara, were unfortunate outliers.

Here are FSN’s Way Too Early Top 25 Rankings for 2026.

25. San Diego

2025 FSN Annual Watchlist Athletes: Nick Lee (Coxswain), Jacob Zelenko
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Rex Bales
Biggest Losses: Derek Hissong, Sam Pigott
Biggest Returners: Rex Bales, Joe Tortella
Top Incoming Freshmen: Henry DeLuca (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Charlie Vedder (Sarasota, FL)

San Diego included in this Top 25 is a bet on their talent from 2025, especially their First-Ever appearance at one of the world’s most prestigious regattas, Henley Royal Regatta, putting up a top-notch result against UK’s perennial powerhouse, Oxford Brookes, in the first round of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup taking the race from start to finish in a close nail-biter with only two-feet separating the Toreros from Brookes. Fun fact: USD became the first-ever Men’s Rowing program to receive a Team-Wide NIL (“Name, Image, and Likeness”) Deal with Nautica featuring the team in private photo shoots on the water, campus, and Sunny Beaches of San Diego. The team was highlighted editorially, socially, and earned a fair share of PR surrounded by their teammates.

24. Gonzaga

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Toby Finn, Brendan Kelly
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Toby Finn
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Emily Bruno
Biggest Losses: N/A
Biggest Returners: Toby Finn, Brendan Kelly
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

The Zags had a fairly linear season racing against fellow West Coast Competition including San Diego, Santa Clara and UC San Diego, having a great race against the Tritons at the San Diego Crew Classic with their Varsity Eight taking the victory against UCSD, which was most likely their highlight of the 2025 Campaign. Longtime Assistant Coach & Recruitment Coordinator, Mark Voorhees, announced in August that he accepted the role of the Women’s Head Coach, a position he desired since he graduated from Gonzaga in 2004. Toby Finn earned FSN Pre-Season Honors on the Annual Athlete Watchlist along with his teammate, Brendan Kelly, who will return to Spokane in 2026. Finn trained with legendary rowing coach, Mike Teti, at California Rowing Club (CRC), over the Summer of 2025, racing at the Royal Canadian Henley, with Teti having some solid remarks on his potential. The Bulldogs took a step out of their MPSF Contract and plan on racing the Dad Vails in New Jersey to vie for an Automatic Qualification in the Men’s Heavyweight Eight for a trip to the National Championship against West Coast Competition, San Diego & Santa Clara who will also make the trip out east, and parting ways with the MPSF.

23. UC San Diego

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Adam Moakher, Sebastian Navarro, Davis Schroeder
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Davis Schroeder
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Camden Coburn
Biggest Losses: Michael Brown, Jake Lopez, Archie McKirdy, Kevork Tchakmakjian
Biggest Returners: Chad Breslin, Camden Coburn, Adam Moakher, Kyle Pellegrini, Sebastian Navarro, Davis Schroeder, Charlie Talley, Vahram Tchakmakjian (Coxswain), Estella Zeppelin (Coxswain)
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

The Tritons have kept their foot on the throttle over the last few years, landing some solid high school recruits and transfers from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, with Davis Schroeder, a highly-sought after prospect out of Newport Beach, CA, and rower on the 2022 United States Junior National Team that made the trip to the World Championships, and coached in his junior years at Newport Aquatic Center under longtime head coach, Nick D’Antoni.

With a packed Senior Class including Schroeder, Chad Breslin, back in from his season ending injury in 2025, Camden Coburn & Sebastian Navarro will add volume and skill to the ranks without a shadow of a doubt. The Tritons opted to keep their contract with the MPSF into effect for 2026, with their eyes on taking on Oregon State in true Lake Natoma fashion. Considering how many names are gone from graduating over 15 Seniors and star players, UCSD will have to refill their ranks during the next few cycles, and have two strong coxswains to keep them headed in the right direction.

22. Drexel

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Andrew Manns
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Luke Joseph
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Derek Kaiser
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Ryan Miller
Biggest Losses: John Little, Andrew Manns
Biggest Returners: Zoran Bosnic, Luke Joseph (Coxswain), Derek Kaiser (Coxswain), Matthew Kennedy, Braeden Montgomery
Top Incoming Freshmen: Ryan Miller (Fishers, IN)

Drexel had a lot of ups and downs in 2025, as did many teams on the Schuylkill River, it may require a little leap of faith and optimism to assume that Weaver’s crew will find their peak in 2026, but by securing one of the nation’s top prospects in the Class of 2025, Ryan Miller, the No. 10 Incoming Freshman headed into the 2026 season, the 6’7” Oarsman out of Fishers, Indiana, with a profound 5:55 2000m erg, just came off of the Under-23 World Championships where he rowed the 2x with Drexel Dragon, Matthew Kennedy, that was coached by Head Coach, Matt Weaver, you can definitely expect Weaver to have the Dragons start tearing up the waters coast-to-coast early on in the 2026 season.

Taking on West Coast competition in California in March along with No. 13, Cornell, similar to last season and getting a solid matchup in before taking on La Salle & Temple; however, with seasoned Schuylkill Vets such as Braeden Montgomery, and 9th seats, Luke Joseph and Derek Kaiser, departures like John Little and Andrew Manns, might mean some power growing pains in those early races, but will have the composure from their Drivers.

21. Temple

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Ryan Yates
Biggest Losses: Kevin Harvell, Pat Lamb, Ryan Yates
Biggest Returners: Ryan Spellman
Top Incoming Freshmen: Eamon Matlock (Eldridge, Iowa)

Let’s see what Temple can throw down in 2026 after losing Philly Native, Pat Lamb, and Kevin Harvell, who is off training with the U.S. National Team. The Owls locked in National Champion, Eamon Matlock of Iowa, who threw down a stellar performance in the Youth Men’s 2x at Nathan Benderson Park in June, which will hopefully help boost the talent pool of the program, lead by Temple Alum, Brendan Cunningham. The Owls won the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta over La Salle in the Grand Final, earning FSN Crew of the Week Honors with a legendary push in the last 500 meters of the race to seal the deal as Dad Vail Champs.

20. Oregon State

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Jake Edelstein
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Quinn Baker
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Jake Edelstein
Biggest Losses: Phil Seeger
Biggest Returners: Quinn Baker, Jake Edelstein, Luke Wages
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

After the firing of longtime Beaver Head Coach, Gabe Winkler, who’s been a staple of the program for nearly seventeen years, and a complete flip in leadership, OSU will keep moving the needle in 2026. Top performers, Quinn Baker, Jake Edelstein, and Luke Wages will keep the team’s momentum from last season, with this year’s overall talent looking like one of their fastest years in the history of the program. While Gabe’s sudden departure at first left the team at a bit of a halt, the Beavers seem to be gearing up for a showcase of a Spring Season. This will be the first year the Beavs will take on University of British Columbia (UBC) outside of a regular season matchup at the MPSF. Can the Beavs defy the odds and overcome the hurdles stacked against them — We think it’s definitely a possibility.

19. Navy

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Nate Duffy, Nathan Pawlowicz, Ben Vogel
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Nate Duffy, Nathan Pawlowicz, Ben Vogel
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: George Bentley
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Rob Sherman
Biggest Losses: Matt Lexa
Biggest Returners: George Bentley (Coxswain), Nate Duffy, Nathan Pawlowicz, Rob Sherman, Ben Vogel
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

After having the privilege of being coached by the most successful collegiate rowing coach in the history of the sport, Steve Gladstone, the 84-year old legend, officially closed the final chapter of his adventure at the helm of a collegiate roster in over 50 years of coaching. From Brown, Cal, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and recently Navy, the Midshipmen took Gladstone’s words to heart as they plan to gear up for another showdown in 2026.

With Navy standout and US National Team Member, Matt Lexa, graduating from the Academy, the squad is getting ready to get after it under Head Coach and Navy Alumni, Matt Fluhr, coaching alongside Gladstone during his time at Yale and last year at Navy. If you’re betting on Matt to take care of business this is certainly the year. With the likes of Nate Duffy, Nathan Pawlowicz, Rob Sherman, Ben Vogel, and Connecticut Native, George Bentley out of Saugatuck, the team will take another step in the right direction.

18. Holy Cross

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Grant Pittaro
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Grant Pittaro
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Kevin Greed
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Jack Petrus
Biggest Losses: Patrick Boyle, Paul Bradley, Mateo Campos, William Mead, Tyler Williamson
Biggest Returners: Kevin Greed (Coxswain), Jack Petrus (Coxswain), Grant Pittaro
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

Last season went off the rails for the Crusaders following the graduation of one of their most decorated classes of all-time, and to assume that things in Worcester could go any better than it did in 2025, Holy Cross fans, you won’t be disappointed.

Grant Pittaro, coined by FSN as one of the Top-75 Rowers in the game, will unquestionably be more refined, and a brute force within the Crusaders’ Varsity Eight. Taking a big deep dive into their data analysis and output on the water, Head Coach, Jim Barr, left Henley-on-Thames this Summer after having drawn up with Oxford Brookes their first day of the regatta putting a fight all the way down the course, with a new perspective on the overall potential of his program in years to come. If every graduating class could have an extra year of eligibility, certainly Barr would have recommended it to his platoon, but it was time that Paul Bradley finally hung his blue hat to rest, and the rest of the squad onto their next step in life.

17. Columbia

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Daniel Robbins
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Adam Pushner, Colton Millar, Daniel Robbins
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Alex Castellini
Biggest Losses: N/A
Biggest Returners: Alex Castellini (Coxswain), Nick Gonzalez, Adam Pushner, Colton Millar, Daniel Robbins
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

Columbia’s Director of Rowing & Men’s Heavyweight Head Coach, Tom Terhaar, is a man of very few words, but the weight of his rhetoric will always remain strong.

Momentum is one word to describe the Lions after their 2025 season. With guys in the ranks like Adam Pushner and Colton Millar, coming off of the World Championships in the Men’s Pair, assisted with Daniel Robbins as one of the catalysts of the crew, the program has a new standard written into their plan of action en route to another go at the Eastern Sprints.

With their core trio and FSN Top-75 Honors in the Pre-Season, Columbia has the tools to do fairly well, and will need to become more cohesive as a unit in order to really shine out amongst the crowd.

16. Wisconsin

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Thomas Leuty, Charlie Ramquist (Coxswain)
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Andrew Soman
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Charlie Ramquist
Biggest Losses: Will Klipstine
Biggest Returners: Lucas Farmer, Thomas Leuty, Charlie Ramquist (Coxswain), Liam Smith (Coxswain), Elias Strasman, Andrew Soman
Top Incoming Freshmen: Will Harper (Marlow, England, United Kingdom)

The Badgers embark on a new challenge in 2026, followed by roster cuts and recent addition of the Wisconsin High Performance Training Center to develop athletes and refine their skills during college and post-graduation.

The 150-year anniversary had the Badger alumni making their way over to Madison for a trip to the theatre, viewing the documentary, Wisconsin “Where They Row,” produced by Ian Tunney ‘20, Former Wisconsin Coxswain, giving an unbelievable inside look into the current climate of the game and what the Badgers are currently up against.

With losing powerhouse, Will Klipstine, to Cambridge University in his attempt to race in the historic Boat Race with Oxford, Lucas Farmer, Andrew Soman, and Elias Strasman, ironically have big shoes to fill.

Head Coach, Beau Hoopman, secured the first-ever International Athlete in the history of the program, Will Harper, out of Marlow, England in the UK, and guys on the team are already noticing his emergent impact on the program, which is never sour! Hoopman, once a Badger Walk-On turned Olympic Champion, not only has the foundations set in stone by the lineage of Badgers Coaches, but has the opportunity of coaching some promising student-athlete prospects who walked onto the team this season, and have the power to make massive impacts in future years.

It’s hard to predict if the squad can return back to a close-Top 10 team in the country given the current climate of the sport at the moment, but with 2008 inked into the history books, anything is possible for the guys from Madison.

15. Georgetown

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Michael Ruschmann, Thomas Segrera
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Michael Ruschmann
Biggest Losses: N/A
Biggest Returners: Michael Ruschmann, Gordon Robbins, Thomas Segrera
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

If the Eastern Sprints excluded Ivy League programs from competition and kept the eight teams to vie for their own Conference Championship outside of the other seven teams in the EARC, you’d have Georgetown being a team to watch nearly every season.

With plans of a brand new boathouse in the works, but still “Under the Radar” the Hoyas will return FSN Honoree, Michael Ruschmann, having the nod of his Head Coach, Jim Granger.

It’s safe to say that a race between Columbia, Georgetown & Wisconsin in a 1:1 style dual format would be a great showdown mid-season, and if the Hoyas can take another crack at it again in 2026, we might just see another epic performance come out of the Washington D.C., program.

14. La Salle

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Derek Cushman, Nick O’Neill
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Derek Cushman
Biggest Losses: Marlon Bayer, Nick O’Neill
Biggest Returners: Derek Cushman, Predrag Cvetkovic
Top Incoming Freshmen: Braden Howard (Johannesburg, South Africa)

La Salle has a lot in motion, and it’s safe to say they are the most dominant collegiate program outside of UPenn on the Schuylkill. The Explorers have reached a new level of consistency, winning some solid Philadelphia showdowns in 2025, and retaining FSN Top-75 Athlete, Derek Cushman, of the Red, White & Blue.

While rowing alongside Justin Best at Drexel in his collegiate career, Head Coach, Ivo Krakic, isn’t unfamiliar with top-level performance athletes, and has done a great job with the assets and tools available to him, to teach his team the proper mechanics in order to be successful. While losing arguably one of their best rowers, Nick O’Neill, to graduation last year, is it safe to say that La Salle can still be a contender for a Top-15 program — we think, yes!

13. Cornell

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Constantino Calleri, Mike Goodall, Finn Hayes
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Constantino Calleri, Weelo Ghamra, Tony Klar
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Sofie Cole
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Jack Walker
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Yoonu Park
Biggest Losses: Kyle Howe, Thomas Kunkler, Geoffrey Miller
Biggest Returners: Constantino Calleri, Sofie Cole (Coxswain), Weelo Ghamra, Mike Goodall, Finn Hayes, Tony Klar, Joost Schirm, Zach Vorrath, Jack Walker (Coxswain)
Top Incoming Freshmen: Yoonu Park [Coxswain] (Palo Alto, CA)

Coached by arguably one of the most underrated rowing coaches in the game, Todd Kennett, it’s safe to say that this guy bleeds Big Red. Everyone knows the demands and high standards of TPK, and with the 1-2 punch of Weelo Ghamra and Tony Klar, and guys like Constantino Calleri, Cornell certainly has the ability to get some wins down the hatchet.

The real excitement stems from the positioning of their Coxswain Core, ironing out to be one of the most dominant in the game as of current, set up right in the saddle comprising of Sofie Cole, Jack Walker, and Norcal Crew Prospect, Yoonu Park, the Big Red have the Drivers Seat under control.

Finding top of the line recruits really means everything and Todd knows that. Rowing on Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, New York, is certainly not the sunny waters of California, but the Winter months breed in TPK’s own words, “lean, mean, fighting machines!”

Cornell’s middle of the pack must step it up a notch in 2026 for the team to really hit the ground running hard, and one day add another National Championship to the all-time record books.

12. Boston U

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Grant Gwadz, Caleb Schwartz
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Finn Berkhout, Grant Gwadz, Jan Koska, Caleb Schwartz, Ian Varga
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Emily Slawin
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Luke Stroh
Biggest Losses: Hurst Thompson
Biggest Returners: Finn Berkhout, Grant Gwadz, Jan Koska, Caleb Schwartz, Ian Varga
Top Incoming Freshmen: Isaiah Aljuwani (Canisius, NY), Liam Feeney (Canisius, NY)

You can’t say that BU is sedentary, because they are far from it. You also can’t say that they don’t have the juice to be successful because they sure do.

Returning a stacked grouping of athletes and dominant coxswain core of Emily Slawin out of Georgia and Luke Stroh out of the DMV area, Bohrer won’t have to worry one sliver if his 9th seat’s have the right point down the Chuck.

Staples like Ian Varga and Grant Gwadz, along with the 6’9” stallion, Caleb Schwartz, Jan Koska, and Finn Berkhout, it would be a dream if Jan Tichy was back in action from his season-ending injury last season, but time will tell.

Having five guys in the Top-75 of the game and the No. 5 Ranked Coxswain & Breakout Coxswain heading into 2026, ain’t too shabby for the Terriers. Bohrer will keep his guys running and out for a thrill without a doubt.

11. Pennsylvania

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Red Staunton, Isak Zvegelj
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Marco Dri, Leo Goez, Cole Riedinger, Tommy Schrieber, Austin Straley
Biggest Losses: Matt Davis, Jason Kennedy, Sam Sullivan, Isak Zvegelj
Biggest Returners: Marco Dri, Leo Goez, Cole Riedinger, Tommy Schrieber, Austin Straley
Top Incoming Freshmen: Moses Lewis (Southbury, CT), Judson Meyers (Asheville, NC)

The Quakers are going to look and feel differently in 2026, and if Head Coach, Al Monte, had a way of retaining the iconic trio of Davis, Kennedy, and Sullivan, for Year 5, we just might have seen Penn in contention for the Grand Final towards the end of May.

With that being said, many of their mainstays of a dream run of seasons have graduated, but a core threshold of Tommy Schrieber and youngsters like Marco Dri & Leo Goez, will keep the team afloat. Illinois Machine, Cole Riedinger, and Jersey’s, Austin Straley, have the ability to add immense value to the ranks this season and it’s time for the guys to show out all together in true Philly fashion.

Taking down Yale in the “Blackwell Cup” for the first time since 2002 last season, throwing down a six-second margin over the Bulldogs, and eighteen second gap between Columbia, respectfully, the Quakers were off the chain in ‘25, so even though they are just shy of the FSN’s liking of being coined in the Top-10 as of current, the team has a lot to unpack and get after in the New Year.

Penn has the stability with a solid ecosystem of talent. Tommy Schrieber should provide confidence in the ranks, but time will tell in a few months when the Quakers begin to tap on the throttle.

10. Syracuse

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Alex Dawallu, Cole Nordby
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Ben Campbell-Reide, Mack Carr, Beck Honebein
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Connor Miller
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Aidan Montanaro
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Connor Miller
Biggest Losses: Joseph Biondolillo (Coxswain), Lachlan Doust, Declan Fry, Jack Gorman
Biggest Returners: Ben Campbell-Reide, Mack Carr, Alex Dawallu, Beck Honebein, Cole Nordby
Top Incoming Freshmen: Connor Miller [Coxswain] (Springfield, PA)

Nothing will ever compare to the beast mentality of Cuse in April/May, and we all know that. With only three regular season competitions this season beginning in the middle of April, one may second-guess the intention, but with Reischman at the helm, the Orange have the method down pat.

It’d be easy to look at the departure of Lachlan Doust, Declan Fry, Jack Gorman, and Coxswain, Joseph Biondolillo, to overlook the ability of ‘Cuse, but with retaining superstars like Mack Carr, and one of the greatest proofs of a comeback story, Ben Campbell-Reide, in motion, along with the likes of Beck Honebein, and developing talent, Aidan Montanaro, the Orange are in solid hands.

Reischman’s squad got a major contribution out of the 9th Seat with the No. 2 Ranked Freshmen Coxswain/No. 10 Breakout Coxswain, Connor Miller, out of Saint Joe’s Prep in Philadelphia, adding immense value and a great set of strength when it’s needed most.

With premier talent like Mack Carr and the powerhouse of an athlete, Ben Campbell-Reide, puts the Orange firmly in the contender tier.

9. Yale

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Stribor Cizmek, Ben Mead, Max Peel
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Stewart Fuqua, Ulrik Lohne, Ben Mead, John Patton, Christian Reese
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Bailey Foster
Biggest Losses: Thomas Allen (Coxswain), Marcus Emmett, Harry Geffen, Yaroslav Mikhaylov, Syvert Senumstad
Biggest Returners: Stewart Fuqua, Ulrik Lohne, Ben Mead, John Patton, Max Peel, Christian Reese
Top Incoming Freshmen: Bailey Foster (Ross, CA), Christian Reese (London, England, United Kingdom)

There’s no way to sugarcoat it: The Bulldogs graduation losses are monumental. To top a class like the one in 2025, might be a struggle for most, but we all know that Yale will come in ready for battle in the Spring.

Ferocity is evident with premier talent out of John Patton and Ulrik Lohne, along with Stewart Fuqua, Ben Mead, Max Peel, and Freshman, Christian Reese in the ranks. The No. 6 Recruit in the Class of 2025, Bailey Foster, out of Marin Rowing Association, will take on a leadership role in a few years without a shadow of a doubt, and with Head Coach, Mike Gennaro, leading the team under the tutelage of Steve Gladstone for nearly a decade, the Bulldogs have the ability to flip a switch once they iron out the cohesion first hand.

Adding Dan Williamson to the Coaching Staff will certainly remind the guys that it’s more than possible to accomplish milestones and keep the torch afloat.

8. Dartmouth

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: James Frederikson, Isaiah Harrison, Guy Jones
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Isaiah Harrison, Guy Jones, Aron Kalmar, Lucas Maroney, Albie Oliver
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Will Fuller
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Francis McGrath, Hugh Ryan
Biggest Losses: Billy Bender, Sammy Houdaigui (Coxswain), Miles Hudgins, Munroe Robinson, Julian Thomas
Biggest Returners: Asa Dow, James Frederikson, Will Fuller, Isaiah Harrison, Guy Jones, Aron Kalmar, Lucas Maroney, Albie Oliver
Top Incoming Freshmen: Francis McGrath (Doylestown, PA), Hugh Ryan (Sausalito, CA)

The class that was supposed to turn around Dartmouth Rowing — the one that won the Olympic Axe to Yale with a two-second margin over the Bulldogs for the first time in program history, and got third at the IRA National Championships in the Grand Final — entered the scene last season.

Head Coach, Wyatt Allen, told FSN prior to the race that it was “going to be an actual drag race in Derby [CT]” and was he right! Taking the crew to Henley Royal Regatta, supported by his Coxswain, Sammy Houdaigui, who’s now taking his talents across the pond to Cambridge for his Grad Year in hopes of qualifying his seat for the Annual Boat Race, the Big Green gave it their very all in the UK.

Billy Bender, Miles Hudgins, Munroe Robinson, and Julian Thomas, just to name a few, have now graduated from the Woods, and the Big Green will need some big help from Sophomore, Isaiah Harrison, and his teammates, James Frederikson, Will Fuller, Guy Jones, Aron Kalmar, Lucas Maroney, and Albie Oliver, to really keep the program’s top boats alive and ready for battle.

The “ball” is in the hands of guys like the 22-year old, Isaiah Harrison, standing at a mere 6’9” with a 7 foot+ wingspan packing on over 240 lbs of straight muscle, Isaiah’s brute strength along with technical comrades in front and behind him in the seat, will help move the vessel along in the right direction with one mission in mind — keep it going.

There are questions, though: Will they have an off-year in 2026 and need to rebuild as much as some of their EARC foes? Can they avoid the gaps in cohesion that might appear down the road?

No alumni network demands more, after what they witnessed just a few months back, so the spotlight is even brighter, and they must be ready.

7. Brown

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Dave Person
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Davis Kelly, Dave Person, Isaac Thurnham
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Elenna Seguin
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Jack Mershon
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Jack Cadwallader
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Ryan Jorgensen
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Rahul Ramakrishnan
Biggest Losses: Enno Mönch, Oliver Page-Kuhr
Biggest Returners: Jack Cadwallader, Davis Kelly, Jack Mershon (Coxswain), Dave Person, Elenna Seguin (Coxswain), Isaac Thurnham
Top Incoming Freshmen: Ryan Jorgensen (Tiburon, CA), Rahul Ramakrishnan [Coxswain] (London, United Kingdom)

We last saw Brown duking it out with Yale at the Head of the Housatonic to open up the Fall Season, but Bruno trailed behind some of their common-foes on the Charles just a week after their first glance at racing this season in the epic Head of the Charles Regatta where the power of a strong team chemistry stabled by trust and drive is nothing short of imperative.

Gone is Enno Mönch out of Germany, and Oliver Page-Kuhr, who made his way over to the now-MPSF add-on, University of British Columbia. With the resignation of Scott Cockle at his post and keeping Bruno on their toes once the camera comes out for action, the Bears can’t ignore the lessons to be learned under Head Coach, Paul Cooke.

It’s unfortunately been 30 years since Bruno won a National Championship, and with powerhouses like Davis Kelly and Dave Person out of South Africa, the Brits, Isaac Thurnham & Jack Cadwallader, all of whom were given their fair share of praise from the FSN Front Office, respectfully, will have to really stomp on the gas this Spring in order to keep the campaign as far away from out of the picture as possible.

In years that Brown was doubted to take home the trophy or second-guessed by their peers, nothing stood in front of Bruno to fight tooth and nail from start to finish.

Lead by the No. 1 Overall Coxswain headed into 2026, Elenna Seguin & and runner-up lieutenant, Jack Mershon, who was coined the No. 1 Breakout Coxswain during the Pre-Season, the two will contest hard for their seat this upcoming season, and give the guys a little nudge when it’s needed most.

6. Northeastern

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Pietro Brocca, Julian Leonhardt
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Julian Leonhardt, Brandon Mark, Aidan Murphy
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Ed Lopas
Biggest Losses: Kobe Miller, Braden Porterfield
Biggest Returners: Ned Botherway, Julian Leonhardt, Ed Lopas, Brandon Mark, Aidan Murphy, Jakob Kyncl, Alex Stamas (Coxswain)
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

Northeastern may have reloaded already and it’s only December.

The Huskies graduated two massive losses of their Varsity Eight: Kobe Miller and Braden Porterfield, but return Julian Leonhardt, Ed Lopas, Brandon Mark, and Aidan Murphy just to name a few, which appears to be a solid lineup of true competitors needed to take on this current climate.

Julian Leonhardt, the transfer out of Los Angeles, California, made his way out East to Boston from his time at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) when the school announced the defunding of over a handful of athletic sports teams which unfortunately included both Men’s & Women’s Rowing, leaving the athletes no choice but to enter the Transfer Portal, and find a new home elsewhere if they wanted to remain rowing at the Division 1 Level.

Placing well at the Head of the Charles, beating out several powerhouses including Dartmouth, Brown, and Yale just to name a few, Northeastern might just be the team most collegiate rowing fans will continue to overlook, but that storyline is long gone.

The Huskies have all the tools right now to be successful, just placing shy of the Top-5, Northeastern’s Coaching Core will keep them pushing through the Winter Months with an ability to battle it out against their foes in just a few months time.

5. Princeton

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Kian Aminian, Andrew Wilkinson
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Kian Aminian, Theo Bell, Trygve Bye Loken, Marcus Chute, Pat Shaw
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Joseph Cutaia
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Matt Cashman
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Taeden Landa, Ori Radwin
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Peter Litwin
Biggest Losses: Pat Long, Connor Miller (Coxswain), Zach Vachal
Biggest Returners: Kian Aminian, Theo Bell, Trygve Bye Loken, Matt Cashman, Marcus Chute, Joseph Cutaia (Coxswain), Nate Fineman, Pat Shaw, Ed Nutt, Andrew Wilkinson
Top Incoming Freshmen: Taeden Landa (San Anselmo, CA), Peter Litwin (Oakland, CA), Ori Radwin (Albany, CA)

Princeton is always a title contender, especially at the Eastern Sprints. They’re rarely outside of the Grand Final at the National Championship, and continue to reap havoc onto their Conference-foes year-round. A team prioritizing data to the fullest extent, is a team of disciplined habits which allows the program to continue putting out stellar standouts and precision in and out of the Shea Rowing Center.

The Tigers graduate arguably one of the top coxswains in the Class of 2025, Connor Neill, with Pat Long and Zach Vachal out as well, but retain six leading performers, including Kian Aminian, Theo Bell, Trygve Bye Loken, Marcus Chute, Pat Shaw, and Andrew Wilkinson, just to name a few, which seems to be more significant than prior years, because those handful of guys filled up most of Princeton’s top performing boats last season, with the Varsity putting on an absolute masterclass of a sprint against Brown which had to have been up there for one of the most thrilling races of the season.

The Tigers will host a series of Top-10 teams on their home waterway at Lake Carnegie, getting a run at Cal and Stanford a bit early on into the season, compared to in years past. The showdown will be one to watch to say the least.

The Incoming Freshman Class for the Tigers is one of a kind, not to mention signing the No. 4 & No. 5 Ranked Recruit in the Class of 2026, Will Heaton out of Chicago, IL, and Porter Collins, out of Houston, TX, the heir of Two-Time Olympian, Porter Collins, who once rowed at Brown from the rowing hotbed of Darien, CT.

The No. 3 Ranked Coxswain in this year’s Freshman Class, Peter Litwin, out of Northern California, along with Ori Radwin, the No. 2 Ranked Freshman Rower in the Freshman Class, Taeden Landa, the No. 4 Recruit, respectfully, will be major role players for the Tigers in years to come.

4. Stanford

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Kannan Alford (Coxswain), Elliott Donovan-Davies, Charlie Vachris
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Tom Corbett, Elliott Donovan-Davies, Caspar Griffin, Luke Smith
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Kannan Alford
2026 FSN Top-10 Under The Radar Rower: Hylton Harvey
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Augie Freijo, Tyler Murphy
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Ginger Bernstein
Biggest Losses: James Fetter
Biggest Returners: Kannan Alford (Coxswain), Tom Corbett, Elliott Donovan-Davies, Caspar Griffin, Hylton Harvey, Sandro Scalfi, Luke Smith, Charlie Vachris
Top Incoming Freshmen: Marcus Albrecht (Berlin, Germany), Ginger Bernstein [Coxswain] (Mill Valley, CA), Augie Freijo (Long Beach, CA), Tyler Murphy (Orlando, FL)

This could be the season you’ve been waiting for, Cardinal fans. Stanford is ready for battle and the shores at the program’s home course in Palo Alto, must beware for some fierce racing this Spring.

The Card graduate James Fetter who was a staple in their Varsity Eight in 2025, and return a plethora of their leading powerhouse performers including Coxswain, Kannan Alford, Tom Corbett, Elliott Donovan-Davies, Caspar Griffin, Hylton Harvey, Sandro Scalfi, Luke Smith, and Charlie Vachris.

Something special is happening with the Cardinal program, and we don’t just mean the current roster ranks — Sobolewski signed three of the Top 10 Incoming Freshman Rowers in the Class of 2026, including the No. 1 Ranked Recruit, Tony Madigan, the No. 2 Ranked Recruit, John Piersma, and Zander Auth, the No. 8 Ranked Recruit. Stanford easily having the No. 1 Ranked Recruiting Class is not a shock, when their current Freshman Class seems to be skyrocketing in just a few months time, talent-wise, with role players like the No. 4 Ranked Freshman Coxswain, Ginger Bernstein, out of Mill Valley, California, that rowed at Deerfield Academy, a well-known New England Prep School under Princeton Graduate, Spencer Washburn.

Standouts repping the Red, White, and Blue, Tyler Murphy, the No. 5 Ranked Freshman out of Orlando, Florida, and Augie Freijo from Long Beach, California, the No. 9 Ranked Freshman, make up the Cardinal Class of 2029. German Bred, Marcus Albrecht, is an early “One To Watch” out of Berlin, has been making huge strides this Fall, his peers tell FSN first hand.

To test their explosiveness this early on in the season is questionable, but after a two-second deficit to Washington at last year’s Annual Dual, the Card, while retaining the vast majority of their top performers, will continue to test their limits this Spring with no remorse.

3. Harvard

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Owen Finnerty, Ryan Link
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Leo Bessler, Cameron Beyki, Josh Brangan, Jordan Dykema, Owen Finnerty, Tyler Horler, Ben Scott, Sam Woodgate
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom: Alp Karadogan
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Cate Frerichs
Biggest Losses: Ryan Link, Gabe Obholzer, Tom O’Sullivan
Biggest Returners: Leo Bessler, Cameron Beyki, Josh Brangan, Jack Dorney, Jordan Dykema, Owen Finnerty, Marco Gandola, Alex Grundy, Tyler Horler, Ben Scott, Sam Woodgate
Top Incoming Freshmen: Cate Frerichs [Coxswain] (Palm Beach, FL), Alp Karadogan (Bursa, Turkey)

Yes — We all know that Harvard has set the standard in years past, but it’s been twenty years since the Crimson won a National Championship, and this year might just be their best shot as opposed to recent years.

Losing two of their star rowers from last season like Gabe Obholzer and Tom O’Sullivan to graduation must sting, especially due to the fact that Tom transferred to Cal for his Grad Year where he will race with the Golden Bears in 2026, as Ivy League Programs do not allow Fifth-Years, dissimilar to their conference counterparts. Obholzer now rows for Cambridge University with eyes set on racing Oxford in the legendary Boat Race.

Although the Crimson graduated solid athletes last Spring, the team is so stacked with raw talent that they are returning close to a dozen standouts which include the likes of, Leo Bessler, Cameron Beyki, Josh Brangan, Jack Dorney, Jordan Dykema, Owen Finnerty, Marco Gandola, Alex Grundy, Tyler Horler, Ben Scott, and Sam Woodgate, who will keep the Crimson Lineups filled with competition on and off the water.

Harvard earned the No. 1 Ranked Freshman headed into the 2026 Season, Alp Karadogan, hailing from Bursa, Turkey, who rowed for St. Paul’s School in the United Kingdom, that has already seen the light of the Varsity Eight at the prestigious Head of the Charles, only two months into his first year on campus. The pure potential for his impact as a powerhouse on the team will become more apparent as the season begins to gear up in the New Year.

2026 Freshman Phenom Coxswain, Cate Frerichs, out of Palm Beach, Florida, will vie for a spot in one of the Top Four Boats this year and was given a proper hat tip from FSN, ranked No. 9 in the recent poll.

The Crimson sealed the deal on the No. 3 Ranked Recruit in the Class of 2026, Isaac Rabinowitz, out of Rye, NY. The 6’4” 180 pound, National Champion that’s Varsity Crew went Back-To-Back-To-Back at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida. With all that being said, it’s safe to say that Harvard will be in good company in ‘26, and for years to come.

2. Washington

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Harry Fitzpatrick, Ethan Walsh
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Giuseppe Bellomo, Lyle Donovan, Sam Ford, Finn Griskauskas, Ryan Martin, Cameron Tasker
Biggest Losses: Marius Bjorn-Hansen Ahlsand, Ian Burnett, Nick Dunlop (Coxswain), Harry Fitzpatrick, Kieran Joyce (Coxswain), Logan Ullrich, Blake Vogel, Jonathan Wang-Norderud
Biggest Returners: Giuseppe Bellomo, Lyle Donovan, Sam Ford, Finn Griskauskas, Ryan Martin, Ben Shortt, Cameron Tasker, Ethan Walsh
Top Incoming Freshmen: N/A

There’s no possible way to sugarcoat the graduation loss in talent from the 2025 Season, but the Huskies thankfully have enough heavy duty locked in the chamber to be able to give Cal a run for their money in 2026. Logan Ullrich had a phenomenal collegiate career, in between his training for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for his home country of New Zealand. To find a proper replacement for him isn’t as simple as slicing a piece of a pie, and even with Blake Vogel graduating from Seattle, Grad Transfer, Ian Burnett from Brown, two Coxswains, Nick Dunlop and Kieran Joyce, along with Marius Bjorn-Hansen Ahlsand, Harry Fitzpatrick, and Jonathan Wang-Norderudbut, Callahan’s got the strength of Giuseppe Bellomo, Lyle Donovan, Sam Ford, Finn Griskauskas, Ryan Martin, Cameron Tasker on the cut to make his team the “crème de la crepe.”

The Huskies will race their typical West Coast Matchups that they partake in annually, and this year not only will they make the trip to Lake Natoma to race for the MPSF Rowing Conference Championships, but will travel back again to California for the IRA National Championship, the first time it’s held on the West Coast since 2019.

Washington solidifies two young stars in the Class of 2026 locked in the Top 10, which includes Seattle Native, Ben Ewer, ranked No. 7, and No. 9, Andrew Vizecky, out of Minnesota. Will we get Washington’s ranking right for this upcoming season — let us know!

1. California

2025 FSN Athlete Watchlist Athletes: Rory Menzies, Matthew Waddell
2026 FSN Pre-Season Top-75: Alex Baroni, Jeremy Beale, Gennaro di Mauro, Pablo Moreno, Tom O’Sullivan, Max Pfautsch, Tim Roth
2026 FSN Top-10 Coxswain: Jake Bazulto
2026 FSN Top-10 Breakout Coxswain: Mike Kain
2026 FSN Top-10 Freshman Phenom Coxswain: Mike Kain
Biggest Losses: Frederik Breuer, Angus Dawson, Wilson Morton
Biggest Returners: Alex Baroni, Jake Bazulto (Coxswain), Jeremy Beale, Gennaro di Mauro, Rory Menzies, Pablo Moreno, Max Pfautsch, Tim Roth
Top Incoming Freshmen: Mike Kain [Coxswain] (Philadelphia, PA)
Portal: Tom O’Sullivan (Harvard)

You can practice almost year-round in arguably one of the best on-the-water experiences in College Rowing, and still find a way to make the unfortunate error come race day.

The Golden Bears had just about everything going for them in May of 2025. Coming off of their win at the first-ever MPSF Rowing Conference Championship, and performing well on Day 1 of the National Championship with an unfortunate chapter close following a heartbreaking crab on Day 2 in the Semi-Final bumping the team out of the mix for a National Title.

The sport went haywire succeeding the devastating crab, but one thing remains the same, the grind truly never stops for Cal.

Frandsen secures Tom O’Sullivan from Harvard, and retains FSN Pre-Season Honorees, such as, Alex Baroni, Jake Bazulto (No. 6 Ranked Coxswain Overall), Jeremy Beale, Gennaro di Mauro, Rory Menzies, Pablo Moreno, Max Pfautsch, and Tim Roth just to name a few standouts.

No. 1 Ranked Freshman Phenom Coxswain and No. 8 Breakout Coxswain Overall, Mike Kain, a product of Saint Joseph’s Prep, hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, makes him one of only two Freshman Coxswains featured on both FSN lists! Fun fact: Kain’s teammate in high school who is now at Syracuse, is the other coxswain that he shares a placement with on the all-college rowing coxswain rankings.

The real question that the fans should be asking is who will take the baton now that Frederik Breuer, Angus Dawson, and Wilson Morton are now officially gone. Will the titan, Gennaro di Mauro, help carry his team to a National Title in 2026 or will someone like Tom O’Sullivan with roots of winning stellar races and a great attitude help be the game changer for the program?

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