It’s common to see the University of Tennessee rowing team conducting early-morning workouts on the Tennessee River. The Lady Vols have built their confidence through every stroke and they are reaping the rewards.
After capturing their first SEC championship, the Lady Vols are ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association rankings for the first time in program history. Rowing is the 14th program at UT to hold a No. 1 ranking, and the fourth in the 2025-26 athletic year, joining softball, soccer, and men’s indoor track and field.
In the SEC Championships, the overall point total came down to the final race on May 10, with Tennessee and Texas battling it out throughout the competition at Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The Lady Vols held off a late charge from Texas in the varsity eight race to edge the Longhorns by a score of 79-75 and capture the conference title.
”Phenomenal to see that from the team,” UT head coach Kim Cupini says. “Texas coming in was the No. 1 team in the country and had that undefeated eight. So to see the varsity eight clinch like that was awesome. I have to take my hat off to the full team to get enough points to win the SEC Championship and bring that championship home, especially here at home in Tennessee. I was super impressed and super proud of them.”
Seeking first NCAA crown
The conference championship was the first for Tennessee since 2012, when the team was a member of Conference USA. The Lady Vols were in the Big 12 Conference from 2014-2024 until the SEC expanded two years ago and had enough programs to host a championship.
Tennessee is now preparing for the NCAA Championships, which will be held May 29-31 at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia. UT’s best NCAA finish is third overall in 2024.
“We know how much work has gone into the NCAAs, so we can’t just stop here at SECs,” UT senior Meg Flanagan tells the UT Daily Beacon. “We have to keep going, and I think that’s what the team’s going to be focused on. We’re really going to enjoy this one and celebrate with each other, and then get right back to work, because that’s the sort of team this team is.”
Rowers on a roll
Tennessee has seen strong performances across the board this season. Seniors Flanagan and Alex Pidgeon have earned SEC Rower of the Week awards while Stella Kreft and Frida Werner Foldager have received SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
In the SEC Championships, Tennessee’s first varsity eight crew got the win with a time of 6 minutes, 6.939 seconds to hand the Texas 1V8 crew its first loss. The win was the third straight for Tennessee’s 1V8 crew, and the eighth ranked opponent it has defeated this season.
Setting the tone for the day, Tennessee secured a crucial win in the second varsity four race. The crew made a comeback over the final 500 meters to pass Texas and get the win.
”I think the boats on the water saw that,” Cupini says. “I think to be able to race from ahead and pull off the win, but also to be able to race from behind in the event and win is incredible. The second four, we were going crazy on that. It was a group that just got together the other day.
“They row together a lot as a team and as a group, but that lineup hasn’t been together so to see them pull that off and get the win was incredible,” Cupini continues. “To get enough points to win the team (championship) and beat a team like Texas when they’re No. 1 in the country was awesome.”