ORLANDO – The No. 12 rowing team is set to travel to Gainesville, Ga., to compete in its second consecutive NCAA Championship after earning an automatic bid by sweeping the Big 12 Championship.
The qualification marks the first time the Knights have reached the postseason in back‑to‑back years since making five straight appearances from 2015-2019 after winning the American Athletic Conference.
The event opens with heats on Friday, May 29, followed by semifinals on Saturday and finals on Sunday. Along with announcing the 22‑team field, the NCAA also released boat seedings and heat sheets for day one.
- First 4+: UCF’s highest‑seeded crew enters at eight. The Knights will race in Heat 1 against No. 17 Columbia, No. 9 Brown, No. 2 Stanford and No. 13 Miami, competing out of lane four.
- First 8+: Seeded 10th, the Knights line up in Heat 2 with Boston, No. 3 Texas, No. 8 California and No. 14 Ohio State, racing from lane two.
- Second 8+: Slotted as the 17-seed, UCF will face No. 11 Syracuse, No. 2 Stanford, No. 1 Tennessee and No. 14 Ohio State, launching from lane one.
With its qualification to the elite field, the rowing team becomes the ninth UCF program to secure a spot in NCAA competition during the 2025-26 season.
More information about the NCAA Rowing Championships, including a full list of heat sheets and lane information, can be found here.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.