ALBANY, N.Y. – The UAlbany women's rowing team enters the 2026 spring season ready to continue building momentum in the program's young history. Under the direction of second-year head coach Kim Chavers, the Great Danes return a strong group of rowers while adding new depth to the roster as the program prepares for its first season competing in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA).
 
With a competitive schedule ahead and national recognition already coming the team's way, UAlbany continues to build throughout its first full year of competition while continuing to develop as one of the newest Division I rowing programs in the Northeast.
 
"We've made significant strides as a program, not just in speed, but in consistency, accountability, and culture," said Coach Chavers. "This group understands what it takes to compete, and they're showing up every day ready to raise the standard. Heading into 2026, our expectation is to continue building, be competitive across the board, and take another meaningful step forward, especially as we prepare for the excitement of competing in our first CAA Conference Championship."
 
Coaching Staff
In addition to Chavers' leadership, she will be assisted by returning second-year Assistant Coaches Erin Czupil and Sarah Siegel, as well as first-year Assistant Coach Natalie Newell.
 
New Conference Era
The 2026 season marks a historic milestone as UAlbany competes in the Coastal Athletic Association for the first time. The Great Danes officially joined the CAA ahead of the 2025–26 academic year.
The addition places UAlbany among a competitive group of programs, including Drexel, Northeastern, Villanova, UConn, Monmouth, UC San Diego, and Bryant, while providing the program a direct path to the NCAA Championship through the conference's automatic bid.

"The growth of this team has been driven by their willingness to embrace the process and invest in each other," said Coach Chavers. "We're no longer just learning how to race; we're learning how to compete. As we enter this season, the focus is on execution, toughness, and trusting the work we've put in. There's a lot of excitement around our first CAA Conference Championship, and we're eager to see this group rise to that moment."
 
Full CAA announcement release here
 
2026 Spring Schedule
The Great Danes are scheduled to compete in seven events across four states during the spring, from late March through mid-May.
 
UAlbany opens the season with its first race on March 21 at the John Ferriss Regatta on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. The team will then travel to Sarasota, Florida, for the Sarasota 2K on March 27–28 at Nathan Benderson Park.
 
In April, UAlbany competes in one of the premier collegiate rowing events, the Knecht Cup Regatta, April 11–12 on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, New Jersey. The team returns to New York for the New York State Collegiate Championships on April 18 in Saratoga at Fish Creek, the closest spring regatta to home.
 
The Great Danes then race at the Novak Memorial Metropolitan Championships on May 2 in New Rochelle, an event in which the team earned its first collegiate win last season, before returning to the Cooper River for the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta on May 8–9. The spring season will culminate with the CAA Championship on May 15–16, leading into the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships back on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, May 29–31.
 
Full Spring 2026 schedule release here
 
Danes on the Watchlist
Junior Cate Rochow and sophomore Riley Fallon were both named to the For Stars Network (FSN) Watchlist. The For Stars Network is a national organization that highlights and promotes standout collegiate rowing athletes, providing recognition and exposure for top performers across the United States.
 
Rochow joined UAlbany at the start of the 2025–26 season following two years at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida. Fallon has been a key competitor since the program's inaugural season and continues to emerge as a primary member of the lineup.
 
"We've all worked so hard over winter training, and I'm really excited to see what this group can do now that we're back out on the water and in our element," commented Fallon. "There's been a lot of focus, discipline, and buy-in over the past few months, and you can feel the momentum building. I think everyone is eager to translate that work into speed and really see how we stack up when we're racing together."
 
Back in the Boats
The Great Danes return a strong core of experienced rowers who will provide leadership throughout the lineup. Alongside Rochow and Fallon, returners from the start of the fall season include Nina Blazevic, Madison Bogart, Skylar Dannan, Gabriella DiOrio, Shelby Fitch, Sarah Hughes, Emma Maturo, Allison Mittnight, Evangelia Miszko, Galit Rosenberg, Maria Runco, Alex Siksay, Shreya Sriram, Jianna Stowe, Andrea Trifunovic, Julia Veal, Ava Villiere, and Abi Wiese.
 
Spring Transfers
UAlbany also added experienced depth to the roster with the addition of sophomore transfer Albany added experienced depth with sophomore transfer Jurgita Staskunaite from the University of Tulsa, who joined the Great Danes this winter.
 
Newcomers
The Great Danes welcomed a group of newcomers throughout the fall season and winter who are all looking for their first full semester of competition. This group consists of Kylie Brown, Sami Keskin, Maggie Lootens, Kelsea Rajopa, Isabella Vasquez, and Vanessa Williams.
 
"The winter was definitely a test of the team's mental agility," said Veal. "The repetitiveness of the indoor season can get the better of an athlete if they are not fully grounded. I think the team did an amazing job of keeping the energy up every single day and attacking workouts to the best of their ability. We can now enter the spring season with the confidence that we are fit enough to compete and interlinked as one unit."
 
Social Central
Stay up to date with UAlbany rowing by following the team on X (@UAlbanyRowing), Instagram (@ualbanyrowing) and Facebook for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.