MEDFORD, MA (June 12, 2026) -- The Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) announced its national awards Friday afternoon, and senior
Rose Tinkjian was named as the Division III Athlete of the Year while head coach
Lily Siddall was National Coach of the Year and her staff earned CRCA National Coaching Staff of the Year after another historic season.
The Jumbos earned their third straight NCAA Championship this spring behind the work of Tinkjian, who once again sat stroke seat for the Jumbos. At the NCAA Championships, the 1V8+ boat dominated by winning both of its races, including rolling to a win by over four seconds in earning the victory.
Tufts became just the third program in NCAA Championships history to win three or more straight national championships, as Williams College won eight straight from 2006-13 and Bates College won four in a row from 2017 to 2021 including a missed year due to CoVID-19.
Tinkjian becomes the second CRCA Division III Athlete of the Year in program history. Tinkjian was a Finalist in 2025, while now senior
Emma Lyle was a CRCA Athlete of the Year Finalist in 2024.
"Receiving this award means more to me than I can put into words. At the same time, I don't feel I can accept this honor without recognizing my team, because none of it would have been possible without every single one of them. Rowing is the ultimate team sport, and I take immense pride in having grown alongside such fierce, dedicated women in an environment filled with support, trust, and love," said Tinkjian.
"I would not be nearly the athlete or person I am today without the encouragement of my teammates and the guidance of such passionate coaches," said Tinkjian. "This third title was the result of innumerable hours of work behind the scenes, all of which allowed us to race with freedom, confidence, and trust in one another. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of a crew like this. More than anything, I hope this honor is something that every member of TUWC feels connected to and can take pride in, because it truly belongs to all of us. Thank you all for everything."
The back-to-back-back national championship win caps another tremendous year for Coach
Lily Siddall's Jumbos and her staff of
Ethan Maines,
Kaitlyn Severin and
Kobe Miller . They also won their third straight championships at the Head of the Charles Collegiate Eights, and took their fourth straight National Invitational Rowing Championships Points Trophy.
:I can't say enough good things about Ethan, Kobe, and Kaity, our on water coaches, and Paul our strength coach. It truly was a team effort. Positivity and consistency," said Siddall.
It was the third straight National Coach and Coaching Staff of the Year award for Siddall and her staff.
"It means a lot to serve as the women's head coach and I'm grateful for the opportunities we had this spring," said Siddall. "It's been 40 years of Tufts women's rowing so it was fun to celebrate that with a title."
--JUMBOS--
