Division II Delegates Approve Exception For Women’s Rowing Championship

By Luke Reynolds

Delegates at the NCAA Division II business session on January 16, 2026, voted 167-60-78 to approve an exception allowing women’s rowing to retain its Division II championship status.

The vote occurred during the 120th NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C., as part of Proposal No. 2026-14 under Championships Administration.

The legislation provides an exception to minimum sports sponsorship requirements for women’s rowing and field hockey, ensuring both sports will continue to conduct Division II championships.

The proposal followed coordinated outreach from Division II rowing coaches and administrators in advance of the convention. Programs engaged athletics directors, conference offices and institutional leadership to communicate the impact of retaining championship access for current and prospective student-athletes.

“The lobbying effort by the D2 rowing coaches and administrators was very inspiring to me,” said Matt Weisse, head coach at Cal Poly Humboldt. “I got to know a number of my fellow coaches through this process and was so impressed with the efforts by everyone. I hope that we can continue to make a push as we look to add more Division II rowing programs.”

Women’s rowing has been an NCAA championship sport at the Division II level since 2004. The Division II Women’s Rowing Championship is one of 26 championships currently conducted within the division.

The vote provides immediate clarity for institutions sponsoring women’s rowing as they finalize recruiting classes, competitive schedules, and budget planning for upcoming seasons.

The 2026 NCAA Rowing Championships will take place May 29-31, 2026, at Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia.

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