ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The eighth-ranked Navy lightweight rowing team was tested on Saturday morning with a top-flight series of races against the top-two ranked programs in the nation, No. 1 Harvard and No. 2 MIT. At the conclusion of a trio of races on the Severn River, the Crimson finished 3-0, while the Mids finished runner-up in two of the three contests.
The competition was run in reverse order with the third varsity eights heading down the 2,000-meter stretch of the Severn first. Harvard and Navy found themselves in a tight stroke-for-stroke battle for most of the race as the Crimson held a minimal advantage due to a stout effort from the Mids. Down the stretch, the visitors crept out for an eventual 2.1-second margin of victory, 6:15.8 to 6:17.9. Navy's 4V and 5V raced as guests in this event and came in third and fourth place, respective at 6:31.8 and 6:35.4.
Next up was the second varsity eight event. A shoulder-to-shoulder three-way bout with the Crimson, Mids and Engineers, was a fairly straight forward piece as each crew broke away over time for open-water advantages. At the finish line, Harvard was victorious with a time of 6:00.5 with Navy coming in second at 6:11.6 and MIT crossing in third with a 6:18.7 result.
In the final contest of the series, the Haines Trophy was up for grabs for the top finisher of the first varsity eight race between Harvard and Navy. Already in possession of the Col. Paulovich Points Trophy for winning the first two events, the Crimson made it a clean sweep as they completed the 2,000 meters in a time of 5:51.0. Navy found itself in a tussle with MIT, though the Engineers pulled away in the second half of the race to secure second place at 5:55.8, nine-plus seconds ahead of the Mids' 6:05.2 mark.
Saturday was the final home race of the 2026 season and all eight members of Navy's Class of 2026 saw action.
"We knew this weekend would be an excellent challenge, hosting the number one and number two ranked teams in the nation here at home. I cannot fault the effort or passion with which our team raced today, and I was proud to watch them attack the race course. Clearly though, there are some efficiency elements in our racing where the team will need to improve, and that falls on my shoulders to get that accomplished. It was an honor to have Col. Paulovich (USMC, ret.) in attendance to help officiate and present the points trophy. A huge thank you to all our volunteers, parents, and fans who made it a special morning for our First Class athletes last trip down the Severn race course.Â
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The men and women of our team do not relent. We continue to remain faithful to the process of improvement each week."
The Mids close out their regular season next Saturday morning with Callow Cup competition versus the Penn Quakers on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
Race Results
First Varsity Eight
Harvard – 5:51.0
MIT – 5:55.8
Navy – 6:05.2
Second Varsity Eight
Harvard – 6:00.5
Navy – 6:11.6
MIT – 6:18.7
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Third Varsity Eight
Harvard – 6:15.8
Navy – 6:17.9
Navy 4V – 6:31.8
Navy 5V – 6:35.4
Boat Lineups
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