GOLD RIVER, Calif. – The Trinity Bantams won the 1V8 Grand Final race at the 2026 IRA Rowing Championships at Lake Natoma in Gold River, California to claim the Division III National Championship for the second straight year.
Wesleyan, the NESCAC Champions, entered as the No. 1 seed after winning the NIRC regatta and flipping the results from the NERC regatta, where the Cardinals were edged by Trinity.
In the 1V8 race, which serves as the Division III National Championship race, the Bantams led wire-to-wire and held off a furious comeback attempt by Wesleyan, but the Bantams were able to outlast the Cardinals. Trinity posted a winning time of 5:54.770, just 0.150 faster than Wesleyan (5:54.920). Williams finished third with a time of 5:57.460.
Trinity also claimed the IRA Division III Points Trophy with 52.5 points, which was newly dedicated as the Brian A. Dawe Cup, named for the longtime Tufts head coach who passed away last July.
The Ephs won the 2V8 race with a time of 6:04.830, 2.550 seconds faster than the Bantams' second varsity crew. Wesleyan rounded out the top three teams at 6:07.650.
Trinity’s national championship marks the ninth won by a NESCAC school this season, establishing a conference record for most national titles in a single season. A NESCAC crew has won every IRA Division III National Championship since its inception in 2022.
NESCAC IRA Division III National Championship History
| Year |
Champion |
Runner-Up |
| 2022 |
Williams |
Tufts |
| 2023 |
Williams |
Wesleyan |
| 2024 |
Wesleyan |
Williams |
| 2025 |
Trinity |
Tufts |
| 2026 |
Trinity |
Wesleyan |
