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State of the Program - Rowing

19 of the last 20 ACC Championships...I’d say UVA Rowing is DOMINANT

Virginia Media Relations

Ten in a row and 19 out of 20. While it’s possible that was a winning streak achieved by the basketball team at some point in the last several years, that’s actually the Virginia Rowing team’s current streak of ACC Championships. That’s just RIDICULOUS. It’s ACC domination unheard of in any sport in the ACC in the last 20 years.

In fact, looking at current streaks of ACC Championships, UVA Rowing’s ten wins in a row is almost double the next best of Florida State Softball with six in a row. And all time, only UNC Women’s Soccer’s 15 straight ACC Championships (1989-2003) exceed Virginia’s current achievement.

Head Coach Kevin Sauer has been at UVA for 24 years and is the only coach the Hoos have had as a varsity squad. He’s got two national championships and his teams are a fixture at the NCAA Championships each and every year. He has created the best program at Virginia with their ACC Tournament record second to none around Grounds, and Rowing shows no signs of slowing down.

UVA Rowing Five Year Results

Year Record ACC Rank Postseason Result
Year Record ACC Rank Postseason Result
2018-2019 26 Races Won ACC CHAMPS!!! 10th NCAA
2017-2018 29 Races Won ACC CHAMPS!!! 5th NCAA
2016-2017 12 Races Won ACC CHAMPS!!! 11th NCAA
2015-2016 46 Races Won ACC CHAMPS!!! 3rd NCAA
2014-2015 54 Races Won ACC CHAMPS!!! 5th NCAA

2019 Recap

2019 Stars: Heidi Long, Izzi Weiss, Anna Fairs, Sophie Pennoyer, Mackenzie King, Reilly White, Emily Ashton, Jamey Bulloch, Sophia Kershner, Lizzie Trull, Carrie Warner

The 2019 Cavaliers picked up right where left off after coming in 5th at the 2018 NCAA Championships with a solid fifth place (among collegiate teams) showing at the prestigious Head of the Charles in October. They rounded out the fall season winning the Rivanna Romp, then won 12 of 15 races at the Oak Ridge Invite to kick off the spring.

As has become habit, the Hoos dominated the ACC Championships winning four of five races en route to the title. The Varsity Eight was named ACC Crew of the Year and the Cavaliers’ Izzi Weiss, Heidi Long, Anna Fairs, and Sophie Pennoyer were named All-ACC First Team while Mackenzie King made the Second Team.

At the NCAA Championships, the Second Varsity Eight boat paced the Cavaliers to a 10th place overall finish with a sixth place finish in the Grand Final. Individually, Long capped an incredible Cavalier career being named Second Team All-American.

2020 Outlook

Key Returners: Colette Glass, Eva Gobourne, Reilly White, Emily Ashton, Jamey Bulloch, Sophia Kershner, Lizzie Trull, Carrie Warner, Abbie Bird, Mary Wright, Grace Comerford

Despite the graduations of Long, Weiss, Fairs, Pennoyer, and King (all UVA’s representation on the All-ACC teams), the 2020 Cavaliers look primed to continue their run of excellence. Virginia will return six of the nine members of the ACC Crew of the Year (Varsity Eight) as well as Colette Glass, Coxswain of the Second Varsity Eight.

The Varsity Four boat also returns the majority of its rowers including Coxswain Eva Gobourne. That’s a lot of experience coming back and a sign that the Hoos will just look to add the hardware next spring.