Editor’s note: The article and photos used have been updated to better reflect both teams’ seasons in an up-to-date manner.
Marist rowing enters the 2026 spring season with clear goals on both sides of the program. The men aim to return to the IRA National Championship for the first time since 2022 while the women are focused on winning the MAAC and earning an NCAA berth. Though their paths differ, the expectations for success do not.
Men Transition to Dadvail Association
The Marist men begin their first full sprint season competing in the Dadvail Association after previously racing in the NIRC, which included a mix of Division I and Division III programs.
The move places Marist exclusively against Division I competition and raises the importance of the Dadvail Regatta in Philadelphia, which serves as a primary qualifier for the IRA National Championship.
This season, Dadvail will send four automatic qualifiers to IRAs, up from three last year, with the possibility of a fifth bid. The expanded field has drawn additional programs, including San Diego, Santa Clara and UCLA, alongside established East Coast teams such as Drexel, Temple, La Salle and St. Joseph’s.
“We’re going up against faster Division I teams across the board,” sophomore Captain Ian Sondhof said. “That’s what you want.”
Marist has not qualified for IRAs since 2022. Head coach Charles Woods believes this group is closer to that standard than it has been in recent seasons.
The team enters sprint racing after a consistent fall campaign in head races, where boats compete in 5,000-meter time trials. The spring shifts to 2,000-meter side-by-side racing, a format that emphasizes boat speed and execution under pressure.
“I think we stayed consistent all fall,” sophomore Reed Livingston said. “We didn’t fade late in races.”
Leadership remains a strength for the Red Foxes with 10 seniors on the team who have competed together the full four years.
“We’re super tight-knit this year,” Sondhof said.
The underclassmen have also pushed competition for top seats. Teammates pointed to William Shockley, Charlie Latimer and Ryan Tuttle as athletes who have elevated winter training.
The coaching staff also adjusted its offseason approach, placing greater responsibility on athletes during winter break rather than prescribing every workout.
“As a coach, the more I try to micromanage everything, the less ownership the athletes take,” Woods said. “We want them to create the expectation.”
Early results have been encouraging, with improved 2k erg times compared to last season.
Marist opens its official competition on April 4 against longtime rival MIT. Rivalry matchups with Holy Cross, Colgate and St. Joseph’s follow before the team turns its full focus to Dadvail.
For the men, success is straightforward: reach the finals at Dadvail and secure an IRA berth.
“Now it’s about converting the work,” Woods said.
Women Target the MAAC Championship
The Marist women compete in the NCAA as part of the MAAC. Their path to postseason racing is direct: win the MAAC Championship to earn the automatic NCAA bid.
“Our primary goal is to win MAACs,” said senior captain Natalie Ronan. “That’s how you get to NCAAs.”
Marist enters the season ranked second in the MAAC preseason poll behind Jacksonville. Sacred Heart, Fairfield and Canisius round out the top of the conference. The Red Foxes finished third last season.
“It was nice to see we’re ranked second,” Ronan said. “It shows it’s not just us noticing our improvements, we’re in the conversation this year.”
The women saw strong development during the fall season. The varsity eight established what upperclassmen described as one of the strongest team dynamics in recent years.
“For the 1V, the team dynamic was the strongest I’ve seen in my four years,” senior Captain Shelby McDougal said.
The roster also features a deep group of freshmen and sophomores, adding internal competition throughout winter training.
“They’re determined,” McDougal said. “They have good work ethics and good attitudes, which makes training that much better. There’s always someone there pushing you.”
The team recently completed an intense two-session training block and has transitioned into a three-session phase as it prepares for sprint racing. Early test pieces showed improvement from prior benchmarks.
Winter conditions limit time on the Hudson River, making the team’s trip to Clemson University critical; they departed on March 13 for extended on-water sessions and scrimmages.
Given the heavy snowfall in Poughkeepsie and the consistently icy temperatures since returning from winter break, the team has not been able to get out on the Hudson River yet; in previous years, they were able to do so as early as February. The spring break trip to Clemson not only allowed them to be on the water, but practicing on a different course undoubtedly helps the team stay fresh and versatile.
“Having the opportunity to row in different places helps us enhance our adaptability. Even if we aren’t going to race [in Clemson] in the regular season, it’s building our skill set to handle different conditions,” said junior rower Elena Waldbillig.
Marist opens official competition April 3 against UConn, Holy Cross and Sacred Heart. From there, the focus remains on the MAAC Championships.
“We believe we can get first,” Ronan said.
Both programs enter spring with defined goals and experienced leadership, as well as newly strengthened rosters bolstered by undergraduate standouts.
As the men look to return to IRAs in a more competitive league, and the women aim to climb to the top of the MAAC standings, it’s clear that both squads are not only ready, but eager to compete.
Edited by Hayden Shapiro and Max Rosen
Graphic by Xavier Angel
Photo from Marist Athletics
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