ACRA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ‘26

May 15–17, 2026 – Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Cougar Crew wrapped up the 2026 season at the ACRA Championships in Oak Ridge, Tennessee this past weekend at Melton Hill Lake. The Cougs brought five entries, the Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8, Third Varsity 8, Novice 8, and an individual in the Men's 1x.

Saturday was a strong day for the Cougs. The Novice 8 qualified third in their semi at 6:23.1, punching their ticket to the Grand Final. The Varsity 8 ran third in their semi at 6:15.1 and the 2V came fifth at 6:16.5, both advancing to Sunday's B Final. The 3V wrapped up their season in style, winning the 3V B Final outright at 6:36.2. The 1x entry turned in a terrific individual performance as well, finishing second in the D final at 8:56.5.

Sunday delivered. The 2V put together a gutsy B Final, running second at 6:19.3 behind UCLA in a competitive field. The V8 raced hard and placed third in their B Final at 6:15.2 in a race won by Notre Dame. The Novice 8 capped the weekend by competing in the Grand Final, one of the toughest fields of the season, and finishing sixth at 6:28.4.

Washington State finished ninth overall in the team standings, a result the program can be proud of. The Cougs had boats racing on Sunday across multiple events, picked up a 3V event win on Saturday, and represented the team well. A great way to close out the year. The team will spend the summer training individually before coming back together on the water this fall, with plenty to build on heading into 2027.