No. 2 Rowing preview: 2025 SEC Championship

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – No. 2 Texas Rowing hits the road east to compete in the first-ever SEC Rowing Championship at 8:05 a.m. CT on Sunday, May 11, at Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The Longhorns will compete against No. 4 Tennessee, No. 24 Oklahoma and Alabama.

The 2025 SEC Championship can be streamed live on SEC Network+ while live results can be found on hereNow.

Texas has won nine-consecutive conference championships (nine Big 12 titles). As a former Big 12 member, Texas won 13 of the 15 Big 12 Conference Championships, finishing as the runners-up in 2013 and fourth in 2014.

SEC Network+ | Results

Tentative Race Schedule

Sunday, May 11 (Finals Only)

8:05 a.m. CT – III Four Final

8:20 a.m. CT – III Eight Final

8:35 a.m. CT – II Four Final

8:50 a.m. CT – I Four Final

9:05 a.m. CT – II Eight Final

9:20 a.m. CT – I Eight Final

9:50 a.m. CT – Awards Ceremony

Scoring for SEC Championship

Race 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

First Eight 36 27 18 9

Second Eight 24 18 12 6

First Four 12 9 6 3

Second Four 8 6 4 2

Third Eight 8 6 4 2

Third Four 4 3 2 1

Conference Championship History

2025 is Texas' first season as a Southeastern Conference member. The Longhorns entered 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.
Texas has won 13 conference championships throughout program history.
The Longhorns have swept nine-straight conference regattas.
Last year, Texas won the 2024 Big 12 Championships, sweeping all six races and netting 112 points in the final Big 12 team standings and automatically qualifying UT for the NCAA Championships. Texas' speed was on full display, as the Longhorns established Big 12 Championship records in all five of the scored races.
Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama and Tennessee are familiar with one another after all four programs competed together in the Big 12 before rowing became an SEC-sponsored sport in fall 2024.

2024 Big 12 Championship Results

1. TEXAS – 112 points

2. Tennessee – 98

3. Alabama – 76

4. UCF – 74

5. Oklahoma – 56

6. Kansas State – 39

7. Kansas – 34

8. West Virginia – 21

SEC Honors

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

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Players Mentioned

Ilva Boone

Sue Holderness

Marg Van der Wal

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics