University of Massachusets Athletics
Massachusetts To Compete In Newly Formed MAC Women’s Rowing In 2025-26
July 19, 2024 | Rowing, Athletics Department
The MAC has added women’s rowing as a 23rd championship.
AMHERST, Mass – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced the addition of women's rowing, and the University of Massachusetts will compete as an inaugural member, beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.
"We're extremely excited about the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships, beginning in the Spring of 2026," said Massachusetts head coach Eric Carcich. "After experiencing the loss of two of our rowing conferences where auto bids were drawn from this past year, to be on the other side in creation mode is exciting. We're also excited to compete at the state-of-the-art course Coach Savage has built at Eastern Michigan, which will attract the best crews from all over the country to invitational regattas and our annual conference championship. The energy surrounding the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships is massive and it is exciting for UMass and EMU to be part of that foundation."
In rowing, Massachusetts will be joined by MAC members Eastern Michigan and Toledo as well as new affiliate members Delaware, High Point and Temple to comprise the conference.
"The member institutions of the Mid-American Conference take great pride in offering a broad array of sports offerings for our students," said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. "Women's rowing is a great addition to our sports sponsorship line-up. This is a sport that continues to grow in popularity, and I am already looking forward to awarding our first championship in May 2026."
The first MAC Rowing Championship will be held in the spring of 2026, while the Conference plans to host an Invitational event in the spring of 2025. The MAC Championships will be hosted by Eastern Michigan at Lakeside Park on Ford Lake for at least the first three seasons.
In February of 2024, the University of Massachusetts announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Mid-American Conference as a full member, beginning on July 1, 2025. Massachusetts will now compete in the MAC in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's indoor/outdoor track & field, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's tennis and rowing.
"We're extremely excited about the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships, beginning in the Spring of 2026," said Massachusetts head coach Eric Carcich. "After experiencing the loss of two of our rowing conferences where auto bids were drawn from this past year, to be on the other side in creation mode is exciting. We're also excited to compete at the state-of-the-art course Coach Savage has built at Eastern Michigan, which will attract the best crews from all over the country to invitational regattas and our annual conference championship. The energy surrounding the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships is massive and it is exciting for UMass and EMU to be part of that foundation."
In rowing, Massachusetts will be joined by MAC members Eastern Michigan and Toledo as well as new affiliate members Delaware, High Point and Temple to comprise the conference.
"The member institutions of the Mid-American Conference take great pride in offering a broad array of sports offerings for our students," said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. "Women's rowing is a great addition to our sports sponsorship line-up. This is a sport that continues to grow in popularity, and I am already looking forward to awarding our first championship in May 2026."
The first MAC Rowing Championship will be held in the spring of 2026, while the Conference plans to host an Invitational event in the spring of 2025. The MAC Championships will be hosted by Eastern Michigan at Lakeside Park on Ford Lake for at least the first three seasons.
In February of 2024, the University of Massachusetts announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Mid-American Conference as a full member, beginning on July 1, 2025. Massachusetts will now compete in the MAC in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's indoor/outdoor track & field, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's tennis and rowing.
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