Eastern Michigan Athletics
Mid-American Conference to Add Women's Rowing in 2025-26
7/19/2024 11:30:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Eagles joining MAC in its inaugural rowing season after competing in CAA since 2012-13
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced Thursday, July 18, an addition to its sports lineup as women's rowing will be added beginning with the 2025-26 academic year, increasing the MAC's sponsored championships 23 (13 women / 10 men). With the addition, the MAC will sponsor the third most sports of any FBS Conference (ACC 28, Big Ten 28, Big 12 Conference 23).
The MAC will begin the 2025-26 academic year with six programs competing in women's rowing as Eastern Michigan, Toledo and UMass will be joined by new affiliate members Delaware, High Point and Temple.
"The member institutions of the Mid-American Conference take great pride in offering a broad array of sports offerings for our students," said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. "Women's rowing is a great addition to our sports sponsorship line-up. This is a sport that continues to grow in popularity, and I am already looking forward to awarding our first championship in May 2026.
The addition of women's rowing as a spring sponsored sport continues to enhance the MAC's stature as one of the leading Division I Conferences in the nation. The first MAC Championship will be held in the spring of 2026, while the Conference plans to host an Invitational event in the spring of 2025. The MAC Championships will be hosted by Eastern Michigan at Lakeside Park on Ford Lake for at least the first three seasons.
What head coaches and administrators are saying about the MAC adding women's rowing
Eastern Michigan Head Rowing Coach Kemp Savage
"The Mid-American Conference taking a leading role in the expansion of Women's Rowing represents a significant investment in women's athletics and the future of NCAA Rowing. All the future MAC coaches are enthusiastic about crowning the first conference champion at the new course in Ypsilanti, and we are honored to be the inaugural hosts at Eastern Michigan University."
Delaware Head Rowing Coach Asiya Mahmud
"We are excited to join the MAC. The decision to sponsor women's rowing in the MAC is one that shows support for not only Delaware athletics, but also the sport of women's rowing. We are thrilled to forge forward in the MAC with other universities and rowing programs that share aspirations of bringing both regional and national relevance to the conference as well as a high level of competition."
High Point Head Rowing Coach Jessica Deitrick
"I am thrilled to have our new women's rowing program join the Mid-American Conference. I believe the addition of women's rowing to the MAC is great for the sport of rowing and for the programs involved. Together we will make a competitive field that enhances our student-athlete's experiences. For High Point University, this is a great place for us to be and develop into a highly-competitive program and nationally-recognized name. We are looking forward to the first conference championship in May 2026!"
University of Massachusetts Head Rowing Coach Eric Carcich
"We're extremely excited about the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships, beginning in the Spring of 2026. After experiencing the loss of two of our rowing conferences where auto bids were drawn from this past year, to be on the other side in creation mode is exciting. We're also excited to compete at the state-of-the-art course Coach Savage has built at Eastern Michigan, which will attract the best crews from all over the country to invitational regattas and our annual conference championship. The energy surrounding the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships is massive and it is exciting for UMass and EMU to be part of that foundation."
Temple Head Rowing Coach Rebecca Grzybowski
"We are thrilled to finally share that we will be part of the MAC's brand-new women's rowing championship! Providing a competitive championship opportunity for our student-athletes is important for our team and also vital for the continued growth of women's rowing around the country. We are grateful for all the hard work to make this a reality and proud to be part of the inaugural class of women's rowing in the MAC."
Toledo Vice President and Director of Athletics Bryan B. Blair
"We are very excited that women's rowing will be added as a Mid-American Conference sport in 2025-26, the inaugural season of Toledo Women's Rowing. A conference home is important to the growth and development of our rowing program. Today's announcement further adds to the excitement surrounding the addition of the sport at The University of Toledo as we look to grow and nurture new relationships in our community, and better serve our University."
About the Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio as the Conference office serves 12 full-time members and offer championships in 22 sports. Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 22 championships and is one of ten members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five (5) states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
About Eastern Michigan University Athletics
Eastern Michigan University has been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1971 and has been among the league's most successful members. The Division I program boasts 158 MAC team championships, the most of any team in the league during that span. Eastern Michigan, which has had a representative at every summer Olympics since 1960, has won 15 team national championships and 55 individual national titles since 1932. For more information about Eastern Michigan Athletics, visit EMUEagles.com.
About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral, and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences, and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors, and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit emich.edu.
The MAC will begin the 2025-26 academic year with six programs competing in women's rowing as Eastern Michigan, Toledo and UMass will be joined by new affiliate members Delaware, High Point and Temple.
"The member institutions of the Mid-American Conference take great pride in offering a broad array of sports offerings for our students," said MAC Commissioner, Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher. "Women's rowing is a great addition to our sports sponsorship line-up. This is a sport that continues to grow in popularity, and I am already looking forward to awarding our first championship in May 2026.
The addition of women's rowing as a spring sponsored sport continues to enhance the MAC's stature as one of the leading Division I Conferences in the nation. The first MAC Championship will be held in the spring of 2026, while the Conference plans to host an Invitational event in the spring of 2025. The MAC Championships will be hosted by Eastern Michigan at Lakeside Park on Ford Lake for at least the first three seasons.
What head coaches and administrators are saying about the MAC adding women's rowing
Eastern Michigan Head Rowing Coach Kemp Savage
"The Mid-American Conference taking a leading role in the expansion of Women's Rowing represents a significant investment in women's athletics and the future of NCAA Rowing. All the future MAC coaches are enthusiastic about crowning the first conference champion at the new course in Ypsilanti, and we are honored to be the inaugural hosts at Eastern Michigan University."
Delaware Head Rowing Coach Asiya Mahmud
"We are excited to join the MAC. The decision to sponsor women's rowing in the MAC is one that shows support for not only Delaware athletics, but also the sport of women's rowing. We are thrilled to forge forward in the MAC with other universities and rowing programs that share aspirations of bringing both regional and national relevance to the conference as well as a high level of competition."
High Point Head Rowing Coach Jessica Deitrick
"I am thrilled to have our new women's rowing program join the Mid-American Conference. I believe the addition of women's rowing to the MAC is great for the sport of rowing and for the programs involved. Together we will make a competitive field that enhances our student-athlete's experiences. For High Point University, this is a great place for us to be and develop into a highly-competitive program and nationally-recognized name. We are looking forward to the first conference championship in May 2026!"
University of Massachusetts Head Rowing Coach Eric Carcich
"We're extremely excited about the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships, beginning in the Spring of 2026. After experiencing the loss of two of our rowing conferences where auto bids were drawn from this past year, to be on the other side in creation mode is exciting. We're also excited to compete at the state-of-the-art course Coach Savage has built at Eastern Michigan, which will attract the best crews from all over the country to invitational regattas and our annual conference championship. The energy surrounding the creation of the MAC Rowing Championships is massive and it is exciting for UMass and EMU to be part of that foundation."
Temple Head Rowing Coach Rebecca Grzybowski
"We are thrilled to finally share that we will be part of the MAC's brand-new women's rowing championship! Providing a competitive championship opportunity for our student-athletes is important for our team and also vital for the continued growth of women's rowing around the country. We are grateful for all the hard work to make this a reality and proud to be part of the inaugural class of women's rowing in the MAC."
Toledo Vice President and Director of Athletics Bryan B. Blair
"We are very excited that women's rowing will be added as a Mid-American Conference sport in 2025-26, the inaugural season of Toledo Women's Rowing. A conference home is important to the growth and development of our rowing program. Today's announcement further adds to the excitement surrounding the addition of the sport at The University of Toledo as we look to grow and nurture new relationships in our community, and better serve our University."
About the Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio as the Conference office serves 12 full-time members and offer championships in 22 sports. Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 22 championships and is one of ten members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in five (5) states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio.
About Eastern Michigan University Athletics
Eastern Michigan University has been a member of the Mid-American Conference since 1971 and has been among the league's most successful members. The Division I program boasts 158 MAC team championships, the most of any team in the league during that span. Eastern Michigan, which has had a representative at every summer Olympics since 1960, has won 15 team national championships and 55 individual national titles since 1932. For more information about Eastern Michigan Athletics, visit EMUEagles.com.
About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral, and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences, and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors, and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit emich.edu.
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