The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Longhorn Invite
No. 1 Rowing preview: Longhorn Invite
04.24.2025 | Rowing
The stacked field includes Team Canada (I Eight), No. 2 Stanford, No. 15 Central Florida, No. 22 Oklahoma and SMU.
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 1 Texas Rowing hosts the Longhorn Invite on Friday, April 25, through Saturday, April 26, at Lake Walter E. Long in Austin, Texas. The competitive field includes the Canadian National Team (I Eight), No. 2 Stanford, No. 15 Central Florida, No. 22 Oklahoma and SMU.
Friday's first race will start at 4 p.m. CT with the final race slated to begin at 6:15 p.m. Saturday will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the final race scheduled for 10 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Texas and Stanford's First Varsity Eights will take on the Canadian National Team. Canada is coming off of a silver medal in the I Eight at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
In addition, it will be Texas' final regular season event of the season as the Longhorns will travel to the Southeastern Conference Championship on May 11 in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
"We're really looking forward to the weekend. The level of competition couldn't be higher, and we know this will be a big challenge for us," Texas head coach Dave O'Neill said. "By all accounts, Stanford has been flying this year, and racing the Canadians adds a whole other level of excitement. There should be a lot happening on the water and off, so it should be a terrific event."
When: Friday-Saturday, April 25-26, 2025
Where: Lake Walter E. Long, Austin, Texas
Field: Canadian National Team (First Eight only), No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Stanford, No. 15 Central Florida, No. 22 Oklahoma and SMU
Results | Fan information | Longhorn Invite media availability
Schedule (Tentative)
Friday, April 25
4 p.m. – II Four $ (Texas, SMU, OU B)
4:15 p.m. – II Four $ (Stanford, UCF, OU A)
4:30 p.m. – Four (Texas, SMU)
4:45 p.m. – Four (Stanford UCF, OU)
5 p.m. – II Eight (Texas, SMU)
5:15 p.m. – II Eight (Stanford, UCF, OU)
5:30 p.m. – I Eight (Texas, SMU)
5:45 p.m. – I Eight (Stanford, UCF, OU)
6 p.m. – III Eight* (Texas A, SMU)
6:15 p.m. – III Eight* (Stanford, OU, Texas B)
Saturday, April 26
7:45 a.m. – II Four (B Final $)
8 a.m. – II Four (A Final $)
8:15 a.m. – Four (UCF, OU, SMU)
8:30 a.m. – Four (Texas, Stanford)
8:45 a.m. – II Eight (UCF, OU, SMU)
9 a.m. – II Eight (Texas, Stanford)
9:15 a.m. – I Eight (UCF, OU, SMU)
9:30 a.m. – I Eight (Texas, Stanford, Canada)
9:45 a.m. – III Eight (B Final *)
10 a.m. – III Eight (A Final *)
$ = II Four – winner of Friday Race 1 & 2, plus next fastest time to A Final
* = III Eight – winner of Friday Race 9 & 10, plus next fastest time to A Final
What to Know
- On Saturday, Texas and Stanford's I Eights will go head-to-head to the reigning silver medalist Canadian National Team, scheduled for 10 a.m. to highlight the action-packed weekend. Team Canada captured silver in the Women's Eight at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in August.
- Texas' First Eight (through two races), Second Eight (through two races) and Second Four (through one race) are unbeaten this year.
- UCF's second-year head coach Mara Allen spent eight seasons as an assistant and associate head coach on the Forty Acres before landing the head job with the Knights. Allen helped the Longhorns win back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2021 and 2022.
- The Stanford Cardinals will be competing at the Longhorn Invite for the second year in a row. In addition, Stanford finished runner-up to Texas at the 2024 NCAA Championship.
- At last year's Longhorn Invite, Texas tallied wins in the First Eight, Second Eight and Third Eight. Stanford took home the victory in the I Four with UT finishing runner-up. The Horns also picked up a runner-up finish in the II Four after Virginia won the race.
- The Longhorn Invite will feature proper 2k races for the second-straight year.
Last Time Out
- Last time out, Texas had four boats earn wins against No. 13 Michigan on April 12 at Lady Bird Lake. It was the third-consecutive year the Longhorns swept the Wolverines.
- Texas picked up their first win vs. Michigan after the UT I Four cruised to an open-water victory in 7:04.062 while the Wolverines finished in 7:12.190. The Longhorns took advantage of calm waters, struck an early lead and never looked back.
- Texas followed that with another commanding victory, this time by the Texas Second Varsity Eight. Texas clocked in at a blistering 6:20.030, beating Michigan by over 12 seconds. The Wolverines crossed the finish line in 6:32.278.
- In the I Eight, Texas dismantled Michigan after registering a final time of 6:11.924 in the open-water victory. The Wolverines finished in 6:19.132. With Imy Grey and Ilva Boone a part of the Texas First Varsity Eight crew, it marks the first time UT has had two freshmen in the I Eight since 2019.
- The Texas II Four poured it on in the final race of the day to secure the sweep over the Wolverines. Despite finding themselves behind Michigan for the first part of the race, Texas clawed back and finished in 7:06.594 for an open-water dub while Michigan punched in a final time of 7:14.655. It was the first race of the season for the II Four.
- Prior to the action between Texas and Michigan, the Longhorns had an Exhibition Eight crew of Allyson Stresow (Cox), Addie Hensley, Elliana Krone, Stella Roffers, Belle Nenadov, Malia Thompson, Reagan Whitehouse, Emery Jones and Grace Muir take on the Texas Rowing Center's Women's Masters crew. The Longhorns won in 6:58.377 while the TRC finished behind in 7:24.293.
SEC Honors for Van der Wal
- Junior standout Marg Van der Wal was named the SEC's Co-Rower of the Week on April 16 following her commanding performance to help Texas sweep Michigan on April 12.
- Van der Wal, a junior from Groningen, Netherlands, was crucial in No. 1 Texas' First Varsity Eight's decimating win in 6:11.924 against No. 13 Michigan (6:19.132) on April 12 at Lady Bird Lake. Thanks to Van der Wal's guidance in the I Eight, UT swept Michigan in all four races Saturday. The Longhorns have swept Michigan in three-consecutive seasons and for the second-straight time while racing in Austin. Rowing at the six-seat, she has helped the Texas First Varsity Eight go unbeaten through three races this season. Prior to the season, she was recognized on the CRCA's Athletes to Watch list.
- Van der Wal is one of three Longhorns to reel in conference weekly honors this season, joining Sue Holderness (SEC Rower of the Week – April 3) and Ilva Boone (SEC Freshman of the Week – April 3).
Championship Pedigree
Texas has registered a top-eight result in each of the last nine NCAA Championship Regatta, including a top-four finish in each of the last seven national regattas. The Horns have won three of the last four NCAA crowns:
- 2024 – National Champion (Boat National Title: I Eight, Four)
- 2023 – 4th (Boat National Title: Four)
- 2022 – National Champion (Boat National Title: I Eight)
- 2021 – National Champion (Boat National Title: I Eight)
- 2020 – No regatta
- 2019 – 2nd
- 2018 – 3rd
- 2017 – 4th
- 2016 – 8th
- 2015 – 7th
Defending Conference Champions
2025 will be Texas' first season as a Southeastern Conference member. The Longhorns enter the season as a nine-time defending conference champion after exiting the Big 12 with nine-straight conference titles. In all, Texas won 13 of the 15 Big 12 Conference Championships held, placing runner-up in 2013 and fourth in 2014.
Players Mentioned
