USRowing Announces Athletes Selected from Selection Camp I

USRowing is pleased to announce the athletes who have been selected from the 2026 Selection Camp I. These athletes will compete at World Cup II and World Cup III, along with the winners of the National Selection Regatta in May. Selection Camp I occurred from January 25 to February 8 at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes 8 Olympians and 15 members of last year's world championships' squad. 

The men’s side will host a mix of experienced athletes and emerging talent. Chris Carlson, Cedar Cunningham, Jacob Plihal, and Nathan Phelps were selected, they previously competed in the fourth-place finishing men’s quadruple sculls from the 2025 World Championships. 

The women’s invites are composed entirely of returning senior team athletes. Olympians Kate Knifton, Teal Cohen, and Azja Czajkowski from the world champion four were selected, in addition to Olympians Molly Bruggeman, Emily Kallfelz, and Sophia Vitas.

Men Selected 

Chris Carlson (Bedford, N.H./University of Washington/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Cedar Cunningham (Renton, Wash./Washington State University/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Josh Diggons (Ocean City, N.J./Drexel University/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Michael Herman (Washington, D.C./University of San Diego/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Jacob Hudgins (Andover, Mass./Dartmouth College/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Sam Melvin (Huntington Beach, Calif./Columbia University/New York Athletic Club)

Caleb Nollenberger (Richfield, Minn./University of Minnesota/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

Nathan Phelps (Ridgefield, Conn./Princeton University/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Jacob Plihal (Vashon Island, Wash./Northeastern University/Craftsbury Green Racing Project)

Sam Sullivan (Boston, Mass./University of Pennsylvania/USRowing Training Center-Sarasota)

Women Selected

Molly Bruggeman (Dayton, Ohio/University of Notre Dame/USRowing Training Center-Princeton)

Etta Carpender (Denver, Colo./University of Texas/USRowing Training Center-Princeton)

Teal Cohen (Dallas, Texas/University of Washington/USRowing Training Center-Princeton)

Azja Czajkowski (Imperial Beach, Calif./Stanford University/USRowing Training Center–Princeton)

Isa Darvin (Madison, Wis./University of Wisconsin/California Rowing Club)

Emily Kallfelz (Jamestown, R.I./Princeton University/USRowing Training Center–Princeton)

Kate Knifton (Austin, Texas/University of Texas/USRowing Training Center-Princeton)

Evan Park (Bend, Ore./Oregon State University/USRowing Training Center-Princeton)

Alexandria Vallancey-Martinson (Corvallis, Ore./Naval Academy/USRowing Training Center-Princeton) 

Sophia Vitas (Franklin, Wis./ University of Wisconsin/USRowing Training Center–Sarasota)