Yale Athletics

This past weekend, the Yale women’s crew team delivered an electrifying performance at the NCAA championships, with its top eight-rower boat winning its race and the team finishing second place overall.  

The varsity eight team crossed the line at Mercer Lake in 6:06.138 to claim the national title, while the varsity four finished fourth for the second consecutive year and the second varsity eight repeated its fifth place finish from last season. 

This was Yale’s seventh consecutive top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships and their highest team placement since 2004.

The NCAA Championship spans three days — longer than regular season regattas — with crews racing heats on Friday, semifinals on Saturday and grand finals on Sunday.

“The biggest challenge of the NCAA — besides all the opponents — is physical. It is a three day max effort. It requires peak fitness and mental toughness,” head coach Will Porter told the News. “We looked to lock in and level our emotions over the three days, reset each day and stay level.” 

Staying grounded and consistent throughout the weekend was key to the Bulldogs’ success,  Christina Bourmpou ’26 said, because it can be easy to get swept up in the grandeur and high-stakes pressure of the event. Bourmpo, who rowed in seat two of the varsity eight boat, emphasized the importance of “staying centered” and “trusting our rhythm.” 

“Early on in the race, I realized we were more than capable of winning,” Bourmpou said. “But there’s such a fine line between letting adrenaline fuel you and letting it take over and make you lose focus.” 

After an explosive start to the final race, the Bulldogs took control in the middle 1000 meters of the course and, after holding off a late push by Stanford, charged across the finish line with a two second margin over the Cardinal. 

For many of the rowers, the highlight of the championship weekend — and of the season — was the post-race jubilation. 

“The best moment was when we rowed to the spectator area, and were joined by all our teammates,” Sofía Garcia ’25, coxswain of the varsity eight boat, told the News. “From teammates, to coaches, to staff, to family and friends who have supported us along the way, it’s a collective victory, and I am so honored to share our title as second in the nation.”

The team credited its victorious performance at the end-of-season regatta to their commitment to improvement throughout the year and to their close-knit nature. Although the majority of the races are in the spring, the team trained six days a week throughout the fall and winter to stay in top shape and maximize its performance.

“We had a clear goal, and we had trained for it. Nothing surprised us — I really believe our coaches had prepared us for every possible scenario coming into the regatta,” Bourmpou told the News. 

This year’s regatta marked the 28th annual NCAA Division I Women’s Rowing Championship, which was first held in 1997.