U.S. Set to Race at 2026 World Rowing Under 23 Championships

The U.S. Under 23 National Team is set to take the international stage at the 2026 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, July 23-26, in Duisburg, Germany. The four-day regatta will feature many of the world's top developing athletes, with racing taking place on the historic Wedau Regatta Course.

The United States has a strong squad this year with 53 athletes representing 16 states and 22 colleges and universities. The team will race in 14 events with a roster that blends returning national team athletes, U19 athletes making their first U23 team, and rowers making their World Rowing Championships debuts. Several athletes return after competing at the 2025 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, including Ella Wheeler and Joely Cherniss from the silver medal-winning women's eight.

Single Sculls

University of Washington's Cillian Mullen returns to the women's single sculls after placing ninth in 2024 and will line up against 19 other competitors. Middlebury College's Levi Munster makes his national team debut in a 24-boat men's single sculls field. In the lightweight men's single sculls, incoming Dartmouth freshman Simeon John from Community Rowing will race at his first world championship against 17 other entries. Boston University's Ela Ersan also makes her world championship debut in the lightweight women's single sculls, where she will face 10 competitors.

Pairs

The women's pair features a 17-boat field with no returning medalists from last year. Northeastern University's Gracelyn Theobald and Stanford University's Carly Brown will represent the United States together, with Brown bringing previous international experience from the 2023 and 2024 U19 teams. Dartmouth College's Francis McGrath and Jack Kastner will race the men's pair, taking on 17 other crews in a highly competitive field.

Double Sculls

Tony Madigan makes his U23 debut despite not yet competing collegiately, joining Boston University's Daniel Malecki in the men's double sculls. The 24-entry event includes the reigning world champions from Italy. Princeton University's Cate Sauer and the University of Texas's Savanna Jerome will make their first appearances on the world stage in the women's double sculls, where 15 crews are entered, including the defending champions. Yale University's Fielding Staelin and Ryan Natterson round out the sculling events in the lightweight double sculls, racing against six other crews that include several returning medalists.

Fours

After capturing the United States' first-ever gold medal in the men's four last year, the event returns with another strong American lineup. Princeton University's Kian Aminian and Yale University's Timothy Parsons provide international experience, having competed on multiple U23 teams, while Harvard University's Jordan Dykema and Gonzaga University's Tobias Finn complete the crew. The women's four is made up entirely of returning national team athletes. Stanford's Annika Jeffrey and Claire Van Praagh, the University of California-Berkeley's Ella Wheeler, and the University of Texas's Phoebe Wise have all represented the United States at the U19 level and won world championship gold. The men's event features 16 entries, while 15 crews will contest the women's race.

Quadruple Sculls

Eighteen crews are entered in the men's quadruple sculls after one of the deepest fields at last year's championships. Princeton University's George Dolce and Cyrus Rosenberg will join Georgetown University's Michael Ruschmann and Thomas Segrera in representing the United States. On the women's side, returning national team athletes Stanford's Sumner Kerr and Harvard University's Kathryn Serra are joined by the University of Virginia's Lila Henn and Michigan State University's Madison Kieft.

Eights

The men's and women's eights feature nine and six entries, respectively. The two U.S. crews feature a combined 10 returning national team athletes.

The men's eight includes Harvard's Marcus Chung and Sam Gallaudet, the University of California-Berkeley's Louis Gagnon and Michael Kain, Princeton's Taeden Landa and Andrew Wilkinson, Oxford Brookes' Travis O'Neil, and Stanford's Gabriel George and Sandro Scalfi.

Last year's women's eight took home silver. This year's crew is made up of Syracuse's Olivia Bachert, Ohio State's Amelia Boes, Princeton's Joely Cherniss and Lauren Dubois, the University of Virginia's Elsa Hartman, Stanford's Quincy Stone, the University of Tennessee's Hannah Smith, and the University of Texas's Katherine Nordheim and Amy Werner.

Mixed Boats

The 2026 championships mark the first time the United States will enter mixed events at the U23 level. Sumner Kerr and Thomas Segrera will compete in the mixed double sculls against six other crews, while the men's and women's fours will combine to race in the six-boat mixed eight, coxed by Michael Kain.

Racing begins Thursday with heats before repechages and semifinals determine the finalists. Medal racing concludes the championships on Sunday. Fans can follow results and schedule here. Livestream coverage will be available on YouTube and Overnght.