CRCA Tabs Seven Big Ten Programs in Preseason Poll
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Seven teams from the Big Ten Conference were included in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) 2026 Preseason Poll, the organization announced Wednesday.
Washington was ranked fourth to lead the Big Ten contingent, followed by No. 9 Rutgers, No. 11 Michigan, No. 14 Indiana, No. 19 Ohio State, No. 20 Michigan State and No. 23 USC. Washington, Rutgers, Michigan and Indiana participated in the 2025 NCAA Rowing Championships a season ago. The Huskies took home silver in the II Eights and Fours.
The Huskies earned their first title as a member of the Big Ten Conference by winning the 2025 Big Ten Rowing Championships. Washington swept the competition with first-place finishes in each of the Grand Finals and totaled a record-setting 264 points to beat out Rutgers and Michigan. The Huskies were just the second program to win every race at the Big Ten Championships, joining Ohio State’s 2018 squad, and had three boats set championships records.
The 2026 CRCA Preseason Poll is listed below.
- Stanford University (22 first-place votes)
- Yale University (2)
- University of Texas (1)
- University of Washington
- University of Tennessee
- Princeton University
- Brown University
- University of Virginia
- Rutgers University
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Michigan
- Syracuse University
- Harvard University
- Indiana University
- University of Central Florida
- University of Pennsylvania
- Oregon State University
- Duke University
- The Ohio State University
- Michigan State University
- Clemson University
- Columbia University
- University of Southern California
- Northeastern University
- University of Oklahoma