This past weekend, Virginia rowing capped off a season of transformation and perseverance with a 10th place finish at the NCAA Rowing Championships on Lake Mercer, N.J. In their first NCAA appearance under Coach Wesley Ng, the Cavaliers showed both strength and grit, proving they could hold their own on the national stage and finishing three spots higher than their 13th-place finish from the year before.
“I’m enormously proud of our three crews for exceeding their pre-championship seed and our whole program for finishing 10th in the nation,” Ng said. “Improving by three places over last season.”
Throughout the season, Cavaliers routinely faced elite competition, racing against the likes of California, Navy and Michigan during the regular season. These matchups provided crucial tests of speed and composure, allowing the team to fine-tune its lineups and adapt to the heightened level of racing that awaited them at NCAAs.
Virginia earned a second-place finish at the ACC Championships, where they fell just short of Stanford and the conference title they lost the year before. The Cavaliers’ varsity eight and second varsity eight both crossed the finish line of their respective finals in second place, as the second varsity four placed fourth, the third varsity eight fifth and the varsity four seventh. These runner-up finishes were enough to secure a strong overall performance but not enough to unseat the Cardinal, leaving Virginia with a runner-up conference finish for the second year in a row. The Cavaliers then earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships.
There, the second varsity eight led the charge, finishing sixth in the final. The boat maintained poise under pressure while the varsity eight placed fifth in the petite final to earn 11th place overall. Meanwhile, the varsity four missed first place in the C final by just over one second after Central Florida was able to overtake them in the sprint. Together, the three boats contributed to Virginia's team score of 79 points, enough for a 10th-place finish — up three spots from its 13th-place result in 2024.
While the Cavaliers did not contend for a national title this year, their performance under Ng’s leadership suggests a strong foundation has been laid for future success. Ng, who joined the program last summer following a successful stint as the coach at Pennsylvania, has brought a calm and intentional presence to Charlottesville. Known for his focus on process over outcomes, Ng has worked to foster a culture of accountability, technical precision and long-term development.
Already, this mindset has manifested through team depth. The success of the second varsity eight and the varsity four — often seen as reflections of a program's overall strength — demonstrates that Virginia is not overly reliant on a single group of athletes. Rather, there is a wide base of talent and commitment across all classes. This is critical as the team looks ahead to future seasons and works to close the gap with top-tier programs like California, Texas and Washington.
“What makes the NCAA Championships so special is that it reflects both the quality of your body of work over the year and your ability to build to peak speed over the three days of the regatta,” Ng said.
Another key factor in the Cavaliers’ potential lies in their returning athletes. With several core rowers expected back next year — like sophomore rower Kennedy Housley who stroked the varsity eight and freshman coxswain Brie Joe who ended the season as the squad's varsity eight voice — and a promising group of underclassmen gaining valuable postseason experience, Virginia is positioned to continue building momentum.
Though this season did not produce a championship banner, it may ultimately be remembered as the start of a new era for Virginia rowing. After more than 25 years under legendary coach Kevin Sauer, whose legacy includes two NCAA titles and a long stretch of ACC dominance, the program is now entering a new chapter. Ng's first season demonstrated that the Cavaliers remain nationally relevant and their identity — rooted in discipline, unity and a commitment to excellence — remains intact, even as the leadership evolves.
Looking forward, the path is clear. Virginia must continue to recruit and develop top-tier talent, invest in internal cohesion and raise the technical ceiling of each boat. With Ng at the helm and a core of athletes who have now all tasted both disappointment and redemption, the Cavaliers are poised to make a deeper mark in the seasons to come.
“I’m also incredibly grateful for the dedication of our student-athletes through a programmatic coaching transition, our coaches’ efforts and the Virginia Athletics team around our team,” Ng said.
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