GOLD RIVER, Calif. — The Trinity College men's rowing team has done it again. Following a dominant performance on the water in California, the Bantams will return to Hartford as the 2026 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Division III National Champions.

Wesleyan University finished second in the Varsity Eight Grand Final, crossing the line just 0.150 seconds behind Trinity, while Williams College placed third, 2.690 seconds back of the Bantams. Trinity's national championship marks the ninth title won by a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) program during the 2025-26 academic year. Since the inception of the IRA Division III National Championship in 2022, a NESCAC institution has captured every title.

This is Head Coach Kevin MacDermotts second straight National Championship with the Bantams, and the programs second title. 

The 2026 IRA National Championships were held on Lake Natoma at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center in Gold River, California.

What Happened
Day One – Heats

• Trinity's Varsity Eight opened competition on Friday with a first-place finish in its heat, posting a time of 5:56.690, more than two seconds ahead of Williams (5:58.850).
• The Bantams' Second Varsity Eight (Grace Keniry (Cox), J. Develin, Steffen Oosten, A. Topping, James Foote, P. McCoy, S. Sweeney, Hunter Garcia, H. Darnall) finished second in its opening heat, crossing the line three seconds behind first-place Williams and seven seconds ahead of third-place Colby College.
• The Varsity Four, led by Nathan Whittemore, recorded a time of 6:39.490 to earn a second-place finish, 2.160 seconds behind Santa Clara (6:37.330).

Grand Finals

• Trinity's Second Varsity Eight earned a runner-up finish in the Grand Final with a time of 6:07.380. Williams won the race in 6:04.830, while Wesleyan claimed bronze in 6:07.650.
• Trinity's Varsity Eight shell of Alenka Doyle (Cox), Wyatt Mills (8), William Carroll (7), Jackson Moore (6), James McGarry (5), Brett Sandford (4), Matteo Dembinski (3), Owen Myers (2), Jack Lambros (1) led from start to finish, holding off Wesleyan by 0.150 seconds to claim the national title with a winning time of 5:54.770. Williams finished third.

From the dock with Coach MacDernott:
"I'm thrilled for the crews! Three boats raced and excelled on the course, returning home with the Varsity National Championship and the Team Points Championship is absolutely fantastic. The racing, as expected, was unbelievably tight. Every detail mattered and I think the athletes, coaches, and staff did everything possible to race at the brightest level. Our competitors are amazing and we are honored to compete against such excellent programs. 

The trip to California was fantastic, from beginning to end, the event and venue were stunning. We had never raced at this course and loved every minute."

Up Next
The Trinity College crew will continue their prep for the Henley Royal Regatta held annually on June 30- July 5^th on the River Thames in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England.