The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
SEC Championship
No. 1 Rowing preview: SEC Championship
05.09.2026 | Rowing
The top-ranked Longhorns race against No. 3 Tennessee, No. 13 Alabama and No. 25 Oklahoma at 8:05 a.m. CT Sunday, May 10, at Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – No. 1 Texas Rowing will compete against No. 3 Tennessee, No. 13 Alabama and No. 25 Oklahoma at the 2026 SEC Rowing Championship at 8:05 a.m. CT Sunday, May 10, at Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Race Schedule
Sunday, May 10 (all times listed in Central)
8:05 a.m. – III Four
8:20 a.m. – III Eight
8:35 a.m. – II Four
8:50 a.m. – I Four
9:05 a.m. – II Eight
9:20 a.m. – I Eight
9:50 a.m. – Awards Ceremony
Conference Championship History
- Last season, Texas won the inaugural SEC Rowing Championship at Melton Lake. Texas totaled 83 points to edge out second-place Tennessee, who accumulated 78 points. Alabama finished third with 35 points and Oklahoma placed fourth with 34 points. The Longhorns won three of six races and netted three runner-up finishes, posting a top-two finish in every race.
- The Longhorns have won 10-consecutive conference rowing titles.
- Texas has won 14 overall conference championships.
- The Longhorns exited the Big 12 Conference having won nine-straight Big 12 titles.
- In all, Texas won 13 of the 15 Big 12 Conference Championships held, placing runner-up in 2013 and fourth in 2014.
2025 SEC Championship Results
- TEXAS – 83 points
- Tennessee – 78 points
- Alabama – 35 points
- Oklahoma – 34 points
Championship Pedigree
Texas has registered a top-eight result in each of the last 10 NCAA Championship Regatta, including a top-four finish in each of the last eight national regattas. The Horns have won three of the last five NCAA crowns:
- 2025 – 3rd
- 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
SEC Honors
Lucy Searle and Giulia Orefice earned their first weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference on May 1. Searle was named SEC Rower of the Week, and Orefice was selected as SEC Co-Freshman of the Week.
Searle and Orefice are two of six Longhorns to collect weekly honors from the SEC office this season, joining Marg van der Wal (SEC Rower of the Week – April 16), Nike Utesch (SEC Freshman of the Week – April 16), Abby Dawson (SEC Rower of the Week – April 3) and Leila Gaston (SEC Freshman of the Week – April 3).
Searle, a junior from Orange, Australia, spearheaded the Texas First Varsity Eight to a nearly three-second victory over then-No. 1 Stanford on April 25 at Redwood Shores, Calif. The I Eight clocked in at a flying 6:19.20 while Stanford finished runner-up in 6:22.10. Searle and the I Eight finished the regular season undefeated with victories over No. 1 Stanford, No. 19 Michigan, No. 24 Indiana and a strong San Diego Crew Classic field. With the win against the Cardinal, Texas surged to No. 1 in this week's CRCA poll.
Orefice is a true freshman from Lake Como, Italy, and competed in her second collegiate regatta at Stanford on April 25. Orefice and the II Four finished runner-up against the Cardinal, crossing the finish line in 7:18.00 – less than a second behind Stanford, who finished in 7:17.30.
