MEDFORD, MA (May 14, 2026) - For the fifth year in a row, the Tufts University men's rowing team has earned an at-large berth into the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Division III National Championship Regatta coming up May 29–30 at Lake Natoma in Gold River, California.
This will be the 123rd rowing of the IRA National Championship, which for the first time in 2022 included a Division III Championship. Tufts has now qualified for all five IRA DIII Championships.
The winner of the first varsity race at the IRA's is crowned national champion. The Jumbos were one of seven teams that earned the inaugural DIII berths in 2022, and they finished as the national runner-up, with only the first varsity competing. At the last three IRA Championships, both first and second varsity eights have raced. Tufts was second in the 1V8 last year as well, following a third in 2024 and fifth in 2023. The Jumbos won the second varsity national races in 2024 and 2025, and were fifth in 2023. They had the top points total for the first and second varsity eights last year.
Tufts, coached by
George Munger, will be joined at ITA's by seven other schools, including five who earned automatic berths. Wesleyan University and Trinity College received the two New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) automatic berths, while Williams College received an automatic berth from the National Invitational Rowing Championships (NIRC) as the highest-finishing team not to earn a berth from the conference. Mid-Atlantic Rowing Conference champion Marietta College and Liberty League winner Ithaca College also earned automatic berths. Bates College and Colby College received at-large invitations along with the Jumbos.
The 2025-26 Tufts team earns an at-large berth following their fourth-place finish in the NESCAC Championship, which was determined by first varsity racing at the NIRC on Sunday. The Jumbos won the second varsity race at NIRC. At the New England Rowing Championships this year, the Jumbos won the Points Trophy including a fifth by the first varsity and a second for the second varsity. The Jumbos were the Collegiate Eights runner-up at the Head of the Charles back in October.
In the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association / IRA Men's Varsity 8+ Polls on May 6, released prior to NIRC, Tufts was the #4 team for first varsity behind Trinity, Wesleyan and Williams. Ranked second in the 2V8, the Jumbos are tied for third in the D3 Team Points rankings.
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