Your Complete List of Women’s College Rowing Teams

Women's rower

Women’s college rowing is an NCAA sanctioned sport and enjoys some of the largest roster sizes of any women’s sport, especially at the Division 1 level. While D1, D2 and D3 teams compete as part of the NCAA, lightweight women’s programs compete as part of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA), which is not part of the NCAA. Additionally, there is a sizable number of college club teams that are part of the American Collegiate Rowing Association (ACRA). These teams can range quite a bit in speed, with top clubs holding their own against varsity programs at the high end and functioning more like recreational teams on the bottom end. However, college rowers competing on a varsity team have a good opportunity to receive athletic scholarship money and do not have to pay for most expenses, while club rowers have to fund their team with out-of-pocket fees.

One of the reasons why women’s rowing teams have large roster sizes is because of federal Title IX regulations, which make sure colleges are allocating a proportionate amount of their athletic budgets to women’s sports as compared to men’s sports. Especially for colleges that have football teams, a D1 women’s rowing team with 47 or more athletes helps them to balance their athletic budget. This has provided tremendous opportunities for women’s rowers in the U.S. and is one of the reasons why the U.S. National Women’s Rowing Team has dominated the international rowing field in recent years.

In this section, we provide more information about women’s rowing teams and break down how many teams there are.

How many colleges with women’s rowing teams are there?

There are currently around 156 varsity programs competing in college women’s rowing. Additionally, according to the cMax in-season rankings, there were more than 40 American College Rowing Association (ACRA) teams competing during the 2018–19 season. For rowing teams in general and especially for club teams, roster numbers and team budgets may go up and down from year to year, partially due to rowing being an expensive sport. This can make it challenging for smaller programs to put together competitive boats in certain years. Some years, a college may choose to develop their rowers and focus on regional races rather than entering boats at championship regattas where the competition is fierce. This partially explains why the number of women’s college rowing teams fluctuates from season to season.

How many women’s Division 1 rowing colleges are there?

There are currently 89 Division 1 colleges with rowing teams that compete in the NCAA. Division 1 colleges have the largest roster sizes, with an average of 47 athletes per team. There are also up to 20 full athletic scholarships that can be awarded per team, though these scholarship amounts can be divided by the coach as they see fit. The coach can choose to give a bit of money to all rowers or give out full rides to a few top rowers.

Division 1 women’s rowing rankings

The top tier of Division 1 women’s rowing teams is the cream of the crop of the women’s rowing world, stocked with powerhouse programs that make consistent appearances at the NCAA national championship. According to the final cMax rankings for 2019 (select Combined tab to see rankings), the top 20 women’s rowing teams were all D1 teams, with the top lightweight team appearing at #26 (Stanford), the top D3 team appearing at #30 (Bates), the top D2 team appearing at #49 (University of Central Oklahoma) and the top club team appearing at #70 (University of California – Santa Barbara). Here are the top 20 women’s rowing colleges for 2019 according to the final 2019 CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll.

  1. University of Washington
  2. University of Texas
  3. University of Michigan
  4. Stanford University
  5. Ohio State University
  6. University of California – Berkeley
  7. Princeton University
  8. Yale University
  9. Brown University
  10. University of Virginia
  11. Rutgers University
  12. Indiana University
  13. University of Iowa
  14. Harvard University
  15. University of Wisconsin
  16. Duke University
  17. U.S. Naval Academy
  18. University of California – Los Angeles
  19. University of Southern California
  20. Michigan State University

Women’s lightweight rowing colleges

Even though the competition among the top tier of women’s lightweight rowing colleges can be fierce, there are not many women’s lightweight rowing colleges available. In fact, there were only 7 women’s lightweight teams racing during the 2019 spring championship season, according to cMax rankings (select a women’s ranking and then the Lwt tab to see rankings). However, this number fluctuates from year to year, so there could be more teams competing in the near future.

Women’s rowing rankings: Top 20 women’s rowing colleges

With more than 150 varsity women’s rowing programs across the country, it can be difficult to decide on which one is best for you. Fortunately, NCSA’s Power Rankings consider several factors when evaluating women’s rowing colleges—including athletic performance, academic standards, and affordability and graduation rates— to recognize the best schools for student-athletes. Here is a list of NCSA’s current top 20 and you can check out the list of best rowing colleges for more.

  1. Princeton University
  2. Harvard University
  3. Stanford University
  4. Yale University
  5. Columbia University
  6. Duke University
  7. University of Pennsylvania
  8. Brown University
  9. University of California
  10. Dartmouth College
  11. University of California – Los Angeles
  12. University of Virginia
  13. University of Notre Dame
  14. Georgetown University
  15. University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
  16. University of Michigan
  17. Cornell University
  18. Boston College
  19. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  20. University of Southern California

Additionally, there are several different women’s college rowing rankings that readers can reference in order to see how rowing teams are performing. In American rowing, the most important measurement of a program is the success of their varsity eight boat and rankings throughout spring racing season can be found on Row2k. These include the CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll.

In women’s college rowing, top Division 2, Division 3 and club teams can be just as competitive as some Division 1 teams. To provide a more complete snapshot of college rowing, cMax rankings provide a relative estimate of how fast college women’s crews are by including both varsity and club teams and comparing race results from across the country. While not definitive, the rankings are helpful in ballparking where teams stand and show Division 3, lightweight and even club teams outperforming several Division 1 teams.

Full list of women’s varsity rowing colleges

School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Adrian, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D2
Miami, Florida
Private
Sunshine State Conference
NCAA D2
Lewiston, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Providence, Rhode Island
Private
Collegiate Water Polo Association
NCAA D1
Smithfield, Rhode Island
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Radnor, Pennsylvania
Private
Atlantic East
NCAA D3
Arcata, California
Public
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Sacramento, California
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1
Vallejo, California
Public
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Buffalo, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Clemson, South Carolina
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Waterville, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Hamilton, New York
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
New York, New York
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
New London, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Ithaca, New York
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Omaha, Nebraska
Private
Big East Conference
NCAA D1
Buffalo, New York
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D2
Hanover, New Hampshire
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Orangeburg, New York
Private
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Des Moines, Iowa
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1
Durham, North Carolina
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Public
Mid-America Conference
NCAA D1
Daytona Beach, Florida
Private
NCAA DII, Sunshine State Conference
NCAA D2
Fairfield, Connecticut
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Bronx, New York
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Rindge, New Hampshire
Private
Other
NCAA D2
Fairfax, Virginia
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Washington, District Of Columbia
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Spokane, Washington
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Clinton, New York
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Geneva, New York
Private
Liberty League (Division III)
NCAA D3
Bloomington, Indiana
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
New Rochelle, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Ithaca, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Jacksonville, Florida
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1
Providence, Rhode Island
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Manhattan, Kansas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Portland, Oregon
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Long Island, New York
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Los Angeles, California
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Baltimore, Maryland
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Riverdale, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Marietta, Ohio
Private
Ohio Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Poughkeepsie, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Erie, Pennsylvania
Private
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
North Andover, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D1
East Lansing, Michigan
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Oakland, California
Private
Capital Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
West Long Branch, New Jersey
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
South Hadley, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Rochester, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Private
Sunshine State Conference
NCAA D2
Columbus, Ohio
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Norfolk, Virginia
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1
Costa Mesa, California
Public
Orange Empire Conference, Mission Conference for football
JC
Corvallis, Oregon
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
Tacoma, Washington
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Princeton, New Jersey
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Rochester, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Winter Park, Florida
Private
Sunshine State Conference
NCAA D2
Piscataway, New Jersey
Private
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Fairfield, Connecticut
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Moraga, California
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Santa Clara, California
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Seattle, Washington
Private
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Seattle, Washington
Private
Member of NCAA
NCAA D1
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Saratoga Springs, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Northampton, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Dallas, Texas
Private
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Rochester, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Canton, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
St. Mary's City, Maryland
Public
North Eastern Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Stanford, California
Private
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
DeLand, Florida
Private
Atlantic Sun Conference
NCAA D1
Galloway, New Jersey
Public
New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Throggs Neck, New York
Public
Skyline Conference
NCAA D3
Syracuse, New York
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Hartford, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Medford, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Schenectady, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
New London, Connecticut
Public
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Annapolis, Maryland
Public
Collegiate Water Polo Association (Division I)
NCAA D1
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1
Berkeley, California
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
Los Angeles, California
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
La Jolla, California
Public
Division II Independents
NCAA D1
Orlando, Florida
Public
American Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Edmond, Oklahoma
Public
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
NCAA D2
Storrs, Connecticut
Public
Big East Conference
NCAA D1
Dayton, Ohio
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1
Newark, Delaware
Public
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1
Iowa City, Iowa
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Lawrence, Kansas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1
Louisville, Kentucky
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Amherst, Massachusetts
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Coral Gables, Florida
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Notre Dame, Indiana
Private
Division I-A Independents
NCAA D1
Norman, Oklahoma
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Portland, Oregon
Private
West Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Tacoma, Washington
Private
Northwest Conference
NCAA D3
Kingston, Rhode Island
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Rochester, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
San Diego, California
Private
Pioneer Football League
NCAA D1
Los Angeles, California
Private
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
Tampa, Florida
Private
Sunshine State Conference
NCAA D2
Knoxville, Tennessee
Public
Southeastern Conference
NCAA D1
Austin, Texas
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Private
Conference USA
NCAA D1
Charlottesville, Virginia
Public
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Seattle, Washington
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
Madison, Wisconsin
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Poughkeepsie, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Villanova, Pennsylvania
Private
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1
Chestertown, Maryland
Private
Centennial Conference
NCAA D3
Pullman, Washington
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Middletown, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Morgantown, West Virginia
Public
Big 12 Conference
NCAA D1
Bellingham, Washington
Public
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
New Haven, Connecticut
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1