GAINESVILLE, Ga. (theACC.com) – Stanford and Virginia advanced all three of their boats to the Grand Finals on the opening day of the 2026 NCAA Rowing Championships, on Friday, May 29, at Lake Lanier Olympic Park.

With inclement weather in the forecast for Saturday, May 30, the semifinals were moved to Friday, and the finals are scheduled for Sunday, May 31. No racing will take place on Saturday.

Stanford saw two of its three boats, the Varsity Four and Second Varsity Eight, win their respective AB semifinals, headlined by the V4 posting the fastest time of any V4 boat in the regatta at 6:46.090. The Second Varsity Eight crossed the line at 6:07.274, winning its race by more than seven seconds, while the Varsity Eight finished second in its semifinal, by just 1.4 seconds to Texas.

Virginia will also send all three of its boats to the Grand Finals, placing second in its respective AB semifinals in the Varsity Eight and Second Varsity Eight and third in its Varsity Four semifinal. The Cavaliers’ V8 narrowly missed the top spot in their semifinal race, falling to Tennessee by 1.4 seconds.

Earlier in the day, 14 of the 15 ACC boats advanced to the AB semifinals, as California and Syracuse joined Stanford and Virginia with all three boats finishing among the top three in their respective heats. Miami, which is taking part in its first NCAA Rowing Championships in program history, saw two of its three boats advance to the AB semifinals.

The NCAA team champion is determined by total points earned across all three boat categories. The First Varsity Eight winner earns 66 points, with each subsequent boat earning three fewer (63 for second, 60 for third, etc.). The Second Varsity Eight winner receives 44 points, decreasing by two per position. The First Varsity Four winner earns 22 points, with each following team earning one point fewer. In the event of a tie, the higher placing First Varsity Eight breaks the tie.

ACC Results (Top Three Boats Advance to AB Semifinals, remainder to CD Semifinals)
First Varsity Eight – Heat 1
2. Syracuse (6:06.330)

First Varsity Eight – Heat 2
2. California (6:02.932)

First Varsity Eight – Heat 3
1. Stanford (5:59.078)
2. Virginia (6:04.226)

First Varsity Eight – Heat 4
4. Miami (6:09.933)

Second Varsity Eight – Heat 1
1. Stanford (6:03.510)
3. Syracuse (6:15.414)

Second Varsity Eight – Heat 2
3. California (6:12.201)

Second Varsity Eight – Heat 3
1. Virginia (6:07.114)
3. Miami (6:15.246)

First Varsity Four – Heat 1
1. Stanford (6:44.712)
3. Miami (7:03.172)

First Varsity Four – Heat 2
2. California (6:50.488)

First Varsity Four – Heat 3
2. Virginia (6:53.611)

First Varsity Four – Heat 4
3. Syracuse (6:58.478)

ACC CD Semifinals Results (Top Three Boats Advance to C Finals, remainder to D Finals)
First Varsity Eight CD Semifinal – Heat 2
2. Miami (6:21.238)

AB Semifinal Results (Top Three Boats in AB Semifinal Advance to the Grand Finals, remainder to Petite Finals)
First Varsity Eight AB Semifinal – Heat 1
2. Stanford (6:01.005)
4. Syracuse (6:06.405)

First Varsity Eight AB Semifinal – Heat 2
2. Virginia (6:05.573)
4. California (6:07.145)

Second Varsity Eight AB Semifinal – Heat 1
1. Stanford (6:07.274)
4. Syracuse (6:19.158)

Second Varsity Eight AB Semifinal – Heat 2
2. Virginia (6:09.522)
5. California (6:16.114)
6. Miami (6:27.126)

First Varsity Four AB Semifinal – Heat 2
1. Stanford (6:46.090)
3. Virginia (6:57.084)
4. California (7:02.236)
5. Syracuse (7:10.778)
6. Miami (7:34.968)