PHILADELPHIA - The Navy heavyweight rowing team concluded the regular season portion of its 2026 schedule on Saturday with a pair of contests in Philadelphia. The No. 15 Mids initially began their day on the Schuylkill River with cup racing versus No. 4 Harvard and No. 8 Penn in the morning before coming back in the afternoon for a one-on-one bout with No. 16 Drexel. Navy was shut out of the morning action as Harvard took three of the five races with Penn capturing the lower two contests before coming away with a victory in the fourth varsity eight over Drexel and falling by just 2.36 seconds in a competitive first varsity eight race with the Dragons.
The order of racing in the morning saw the fourth varsity eights lead off before the first, second, third varsities went consecutively with the fifth varsity teams in anchor duty. With that alignment, the host Quakers started the competition with a 2.1-second victory over the Crimson, 5:48.1 to 5:50.2 with the Mids off the pace with a time of 6:05.3.
The momentum swung to Harvard over the middle portion of the meet as the Crimson went on a three-race winning streak to first capture the Adams Cup as victors of the first varsity eight contest before earning the Clothier Cup as the overall team points trophy. The first varsity eight was decided by 3.1 seconds as Harvard clocked in at 5:32.3 versus a 5:35.4 mark for Penn. Navy was third at 5:48.3. The same order across the finish line occurred in the second varsity eight: Harvard (5:35.6), Penn (5:45.2) and Navy (6:07.4) and later in the third varsity eight:Â Harvard (5:40.2), Penn (5:42.4) and Navy (5:59.2).
The morning of racing wrapped up with the fifth varsity eight bout. Penn got back in the win column with an open-water victory over Harvard, 6:04.3 to 6:09.3 with Navy placing third at 6:23.9.
The Mids had a chance at redemption on Saturday and made the most of their second time racing down the waters of the Schuylkill with a series of afternoon contests versus the Drexel Dragons. The Navy-Drexel meet was run in reverse order with the fifth varsities going out first. A competitive piece throughout the 2,000 meters, Drexel was able to secure a 4.0-second margin of victory over Navy, 6:13.20 to 6:17.20.
Next up was the fourth varsity eight race and the Mids made this one count with an emphatic win. Strong from start to finish, Navy moved out on Drexel and continued taking seats until it had an open-water advantage down the stretch. At the finish line it was Navy 5:58.61, Drexel 6:04.38.
The Dragons swept the final three races of the competition, though both the third and first varsity eight races finished with the Mids still in contact. The 3V8 race was decided by 4.24 seconds, 5:50.68 to 5:54.92, while the 1V8 margin was just 2.36 seconds, 5:44.36 to 5:46.72. Drexel was victorious in the 2V8 event, 5:48.59 to 6:01.05.
With the regular season in its rearview mirror, Navy will turn its attention first to final exams at the Naval Academy with postseason racing at the Eastern Sprints down the line on Sunday, May 17 in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Race Results
Morning vs. Penn & Harvard
First Varsity Eight
Harvard – 5:32.3
Penn – 5:35.4
Navy – 5:48.3
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Second Varsity Eight
Harvard – 5:35.6
Penn – 5:45.2
Navy – 6:07.4
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Third Varsity Eight
Harvard – 5:40.2
Penn – 5:42.4
Navy – 5:59.2
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Fourth Varsity Eight
Penn – 5:48.1
Harvard – 5:50.2
Navy – 6:05.3
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Fifth Varsity Eight
Penn – 6:04.3
Harvard – 6:09.3
Navy – 6:23.9
Afternoon vs. Drexel
First Varsity Eight
Drexel – 5:44.36
Navy – 5:46.72
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Second Varsity Eight
Drexel – 5:48.59
Navy – 6:01.05
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Third Varsity Eight
Drexel – 5:50.68
Navy – 5:54.92
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Fourth Varsity Eight
Navy – 5:58.61
Drexel – 6:04.38
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Fifth Varsity Eight
Drexel – 6:13.20
Navy – 6:17.20
Boat Lineups
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