Rowing History
2024-25Â Season
NCAA Finish: 5th
SEC Finish: 2nd
SECÂ Coach of the Year:Â Kim Cupini
For the second consecutive year, the Tennessee rowing team finished the season inside the top five in the final CRCA Coaches Poll. The Lady Vols' No. 5 ranking came on the heels of another historic campaign in which they secured back-to-back top-five finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Tennessee finished fifth nationally in the team standings at the NCAA Championships with 106 points—solidifying the most successful two-year stretch in school history.
In the inaugural SEC rowing season, the Big Orange captured three gold medals. Additionally, they also put up a clean sweep to win the inaugural Rocky Top Invite after earning head-to-head 1V8 wins over No. 3 Washington, No. 6 Princeton, No. 7 Brown and No. 9 Rutgers.
Following another successful season, head coach Kim Cupini was named SEC Coach of the Year while five Tennessee rowers were named 2025 All-SEC honorees. Four Lady Vols were named CRCA All-Americans, while Alex Pidgeon was tabbed a CRCA Athlete of the Year Finalist.
NCAA Finish: 3rd
Big 12 Finish: 2nd
CRCA National Coach of the Year:Â Kim Cupini
CRCA National Staff of the Year: Tennessee
In Tennessee’s first season under head coach Kim Cupini, Tennessee rowing recorded the best season in program history in 2023-24. Tennessee ascended to No. 3 in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association’s (CRCA) national rankings by season’s end. The Lady Vols placed third nationally at the NCAA Championship in Sarasota, Florida, on June 2, earning a podium spot in two of the three Grand Final events while tallying 118 team points in all.
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Cupini earned CRCA National Coach of the Year and Big 12 Co-Head Coach of the Year honors in her first season at the helm on Rocky Top. In addition, the Tennessee coaching staff collectively earned the CRCA Staff of the Year Award.
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At the Big 12 Championships, the Lady Vols tied their best-ever finish, placing second as a team and medaling in all five boats.
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Tennessee upped its all-time First Team All-American count from three to seven, as Abrams, Fahey, Flanagan and Radovanovic each achieved CRCA Pocock First Team All-America status. Those four served as the first First Team All-Americans at Tennessee since Chelsea Pemberton achieved that feat in 2004. Emma Seawright earned All-America Second Team honors.
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Tennessee's 1V8+ crew accounted for a stellar 44-4 boat record in the spring season, earning Big 12 Boat of the Week honors on April 24. Its Second Eight crew posted a 42-6 mark, while the 1V4+ boat capped the year at 38-9. That totals out to a combined record of 124-19 (.867) for the Lady Vols' trio of NCAA Championship crews in 2024.
2022-23 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 2nd
Tennessee earned its best finish ever during the Big 12 Championship, placing second overall, as all five boats medaled during the regatta for the first time in program history. Two Lady Vols crews notched their best finishes ever at the league championship, while four rowers (Casey Chromister, Reagan Long, Kate Schildmeyer, Emma Seawright) were selected to the All-Big 12 First Team thanks to their performances throughout the season. Throughout the season, the 2V8 crew posted an impressive 36-6 record and earned Big 12 Boat of the Week honors twice, while the 2V4 boat received the honor once. It was the first time in program history either of the boats had won the award. After 25 years at the helm on Rocky Top, head coach Lisa Glenn announced her retirement at the conclusion of the season.
2021-22 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 3rd
The Lady Vol 1V8 lineup put together one of the best seasons in program history, winning four Big 12 Boat of the Week honors and compiling a 21-7 record. The group defeated four ranked boats throughout the year, highlighted by a win at No. 6 Virginia, and finished second at the Big 12 Championships. As a team, Tennessee was ranked inside the top 20 for the entire season for a second straight year. Jaimie Armitage, Kathleen Rice, Emma Sewaright and Madelyn Walsh were tabbed to the All-Big 12 Rowing Team. In the classroom, Tennessee landed 12 rowers on the CRCA National Scholar-Athletes list, while 25 Lady Vols were named to the All-Big 12 Academic First Team.
2020-21 Season
NCAA Finish: 17th
Big 12Â Finish: 3rd
Tennessee closed out the 2020-21 season by making its first NCAA appearance since 2010, earning an at-large bid after breaking into the USRowing/CRCA rankings at No. 8 on March 16 and holding a spot in the Top 20 through the remainder of the season. The jump into the polls came off a strong showing at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invite and marked the first time a UT squad had cracked the Top 10 since 2008. The Lady Vols finished third in the automatic qualifier standings at the Big 12 Rowing Championship, and Brenna Randall, Emma Seawright and Lindsey Morrissett were named to the Big 12 All-Conference Rowing Team.
2019-20 Season
The 2020 rowing season was canceled due to COVID-19
Due to the Big 12 canceling sports because of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) global health crisis, Tennessee's rowing season was cut in the spring. During the fall, the crew competed at the Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR) and the Secret City Head Race on the same weekend. At HOCR, the Club 4+ boat finished second with a time of 18:45.960, besting 55 other entries. At the Secret City Head Race, the Lady Vols had five boats compete in the Novice 8+ race and finished second (19:23.4), third (20:15.1), fifth (20:31.0), sixth (20:48.1) and seventh (21:00.6).
2018-19 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 6thÂ
Tennessee logged a sixth-place finish in the automatic qualifier standings at the Big 12 Rowing Championship behind Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, Kansas State and Kansas. Senior Pari Baker was named to the All-Big 12 Rowing Team. The Lady Vols also placed 27 rowers on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, 24 on the first team and three on the second team. Senior Kathryn Cosgrove was the recipient of the NCAA Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship, marking the fifth consecutive season a UT rower was awarded an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Tennessee's fall season was highlighted by a second-place finish in the Women's Club Four event at the 2018 Head of the Charles Regatta.
2017-2018 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 3rdÂ
The Vols finished third in the automatic qualifier standings at the Big 12 Rowing Championship behind Texas and Oklahoma. Tennessee's Alex Dawson, Pari Baker and Annie Pelic earned All-Conference honors. UT also placed 22 rowers on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, 19 on the first team and three on the second team. The Vols' 1V8+ was named the Big 12 Boat of the Week on April 19 after posting a first-place finish in the Varsity Eight Final C at the Clemson Invitational. Senior Jennifer Davis was awarded the NCAA Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship, marking the fourth consecutive season a Tennessee rower received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, and Katherine Porter was one of nine 2018 UT graduates to be named a Torchbearer.Â
2016-2017 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 3rdÂ
For the third consecutive year, Tennessee Rowing finished third in the automatic qualifier standings at the Big 12 Rowing Championships. The Vols' Chandler Frumin, Pari Baker and Anneta Kyridou earned All-Conference honors. UT also placed 19 rowers on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, 16 on the first team and three on the second team. Graduating in just three years, senior Chandler Frumin was awarded the NCAA Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship, marking the third consecutive season a Tennessee rower received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship.
2015-2016 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 3rdÂ
Tennessee Rowing finished third in the automatic qualifier standings at the Big 12 Rowing Championships for the second consecutive season. McDarragh Minnock earned Big 12 All-Conference honors for the second straight year. She was joined on the All-Conference team by junior Taylor Upson and freshman Pari Baker. UT also landed 13 rowers on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, 11 on the first team and two on the second team. Senior Katie King was named to the Academic All-Conference team for the fourth consecutive season. Senior Harper Lucas was awarded the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship, the second consecutive season a Tennessee rower has been awarded the honor.
2014-2015 Season
Big 12Â Finish: 3rdÂ
Tennessee Rowing finished third in the automatic qualifier standings at the Big 12 Rowing Championships. Seniors Sarah McAuliffe and Whitney Wolfe and junior McDarragh Minnock were named to the All-Big 12 Rowing Team. UT landed 16 rowers on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, 14 on the first team and two on the second team. Senior Sarah McAuliffe was awarded the NCAA Women's Enhancement Program Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics, the first time a rower at Tennessee has been awarded the honor. On April 29, 2015, Tennessee athletics honored longtime friend and benefactor, Wayne Basler, by naming the boathouse the Wayne G. Basler Boathouse.
2013-2014 Season
Conference USA Runners Up
The Lady Vols narrowly finished second at the C-USA Championships to the Sooners of Oklahoma, hosted again by UT on Melton Hill Lake in nearby Oak Ridge. Seniors Liz Dickson and Rachel White and junior Sarah McAuliffe were named to the C-USA All Conference Team, while Dickson was named to the CRCA South First Team All-Region. Tennessee had 12 rowers named CRCA National Scholar-Athletes. Tennessee boasts 41 all time CRCA First- and Second-Team accolades and 51 all-time National Scholar Athletes. The Lady Vols won nine medals during fall racing, including three gold medals.
2012-2013 Season
Conference USA Runners Up
The Lady Vols finished second to Oklahoma at the C-USA Championship, hosted on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Erika Johnson, Ashley Fichthorn and Liza Rader were named to the 2013 Rowing All-Conference Team, this recognition being Johnson's and Fichthorn's third consecutive year being named to the team. During fall racing, Tennessee claimed seven medals, two being gold medals.
2011-2012 Season
Conference USA Champions
CRCA South-Region Coach of the Year: Lisa Glenn
C-USA Newcomer of the Year: Kayla Lucier
For the second time in three years, Tennessee won the C-USA Championship. The Lady Vols cruised to the title after winning the V8+ and 2V8+ events. Lisa Glenn was named Coach of the Year while freshman Kayla Lucier was the Newcomer of the Year. Ashley Fichthorn, Erika Johnson, Erika Lauderdale and Rachel White were named to the All-Conference squad while Johnson and coxswain Rachel Clagett earned All-Academic Team honors. The team also appeared on the series finale of ABC's hit TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
2010-2011 Season
Conference USA Runners Up
The Lady Vols won eight medals in the fall season, including three gold medals. The Lady Vols narrowly finished second at the C-USA Championships, hosted again by UT on Melton Hill Lake in nearby Oak Ridge, Tenn. Hilary Epes, Ashley Fichthorn and Erika Lauderdale were named to the C-USA All-Conference Team, while Lauderdale earned CRCA All-South Region distinction and Epes was named to the second team.
2009-2010 Season
Conference USA Champions
CRCA South-Region Coach of the Year: Lisa Glenn
C-USA Rower of the Year: Laura Miller
C-USA Newcomer of the Year: Erika Lauderdale
In the first season of conference affiliation, Tennessee claimed the inaugural C-USA Championship, defeating UCF and Texas. Lisa Glenn was named the league's Coach of the Year while senior Laura Miller was the C-USA Rower of the Year and Erika Lauderdale was named Newcomer of the Year. Miller was also named a CRCA All-American. The conference title lifted the Lady Vols to their fourth team bid to the NCAA Championships, their seventh overall bid. UT finished 16th overall at the NCAAs.
2008-2009 Season
UT narrowly missed the NCAA Championships, but came away from the season with plenty of positives. A dozen Lady Vols garnered the Academic All-SEC honors, while six made the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll. The Lady Vols earned 16 medals during the fall season, including six gold medals. UT swept the V8+, 2V8+ and V4+ against Alabama and the V8+ and V4+ claimed gold in the Aramark Sprints.
2007-2008 Season
NCAA Finish: 11th
Tennessee rowing continued to reach new highs, as the Lady Vols 2V8+ reached the grand finals of the NCAA championships, marking the first time a UT shell had advanced to the championship final. As a team, UT finished 11th. The Club 8+, for the second third in school history, won back-to-back gold medals at the Head of the Charles. Erin-Monique Shelton earned her third-consecutive CRCA All-America distinction.
2006-2007 Season
NCAA Finish:Â 9th
The Lady Vols made their second-consecutive team appearance and fifth-straight overall appearance in the NCAA Championships, which UT hosted on Melton Hill Lake in nearby Oak Ridge, Tenn. The team's ninth-place finish is the program's best-ever NCAA result. The Club 8+ returned to glory at the Head of the Charles, claiming UT's fourth gold medal at the world's largest regatta.
2005-2006 Season
NCAA Finish:Â 14th
NCAA South-Region Champions
CRCA South-Region Coach of the Year: Lisa Glenn
Tennessee made its first team appearance in the NCAA Championships in 2006, after claiming the South Region Championship over Virginia. UT finished 12th in the NCAA Championships. Four Lady Vols were named to the South-Region Team, while Stephanie Davis and Nina Dobratz both received National Scholar-Athlete accolades.
2004-2005 Season
NCAA Finish: Varsity 8+: 8th
Again, the Lady Vols clinched a trip to the NCAA Championships, their third-consecutive bid. Tennessee finished eighth. Chelsea Pemberton earned her third-consecutive CRCA Pocock All-America honor while Andrea Bagwell earned her first. The Club 8+ again earned a silver medal at the Head of the Charles.
2003-2004 Season
NCAA Finish: Varsity 8+: 10th
CRCA South-Region Coach of the Year: Lisa Glenn
For the second year in a row, the Lady Vols competed at the NCAA Championships, as the Varsity 8+ earning a 10th-place finish on Lake Natoma. UT entered the spring season ranked 13th in the country, and quickly justified the ranking as they defeated No. 8 Michigan State and Notre Dame. Chelsea Pemberton earned first-team All-America honors while Kaitlin Bargreen earned a second-team nod. It was the second-consecutive honor for both rowers.
2002-2003 Season
NCAA Finish: Varsity 8+: 16th
CRCA South-Region Coach of the Year: Lisa Glenn
Tennessee made its first appearance in the NCAA Rowing Championships, as the Varsity 8+ finished 16th. The Lady Vols also won their third-consecutive Club 8+ Championship at the world-famous Head of the Charles Regatta. UT also claimed a program-first national ranking, coming in at No. 20 in the US Rowing/CRCA Poll on April 16. Tennessee would reach No. 14 later that season.
2001-2002 Season
NCAA Finish: Varsity 8+: 16th
CRCA South-Region Coach of the Year: Lisa Glenn
The Lady Vols won back-to-back gold medals at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston, claiming the Club 8+ crown. The V8+ claimed the SIRA title, while the V4+ and Novice 8+ both earned bronze medals. Five Lady Vols were selected to the CRCA Scholar-Athlete Team and 19 were named Academic All-SEC.
