Conestoga Crew’s Varsity Quads Both Medal at SRAA National Championships

Conestoga Crew cemented its place among the top scholastic rowing programs in the country Saturday, bringing home two varsity quad medals at the 2026 Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) National Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The regatta featured many of the nation’s premier high school rowing programs and marked one of the strongest overall national championship performances in recent Conestoga history.

Both the Conestoga girls and boys varsity quads earned bronze medals in their respective national championship finals, meaning both crews finished third in the nation among scholastic rowing programs.

The Conestoga girls varsity quad of Emma Reiter, Maizy Jacobson, Sophia Daams, and Lara Laursen captured bronze in the Girls Senior 4x final. Moments later, Conestoga’s boys varsity quad of Jack Sauder, Ethan Borst, Sebastian Jodzio, Kaden Murray also earned bronze medals in the Boys Senior 4x final. The medal marked the first SRAA varsity quad medal for the Conestoga boys program since 2022 and capped a breakthrough spring season for the crew.

“This weekend’s results are a testament to this team’s depth and work ethic. The preparation and investment every athlete committed to are why we’re talking about six boats in finals and two bronze medals," said Head Coach Bailey Chick.. "In preparation for this regatta, the focus of our boat talks on the boys’ side was having faith in the work they had already done and executing the small details that would allow them to capitalize on that foundation. They are an introspective and thoughtful group that is constantly seeking opportunities to improve and build speed," Coach Chick continued. "The upperclassmen leadership on the boys’ side has set a new standard for their younger teammates that will be invaluable to the future of this team. I am incredibly proud of them and grateful for everything they’ve done for this program.”



While SRAA Nationals determine the top scholastic programs in the country, Conestoga’s season is not over yet. The season will continue at the 2026 USRowing Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida in June, where they will face not only scholastic teams but also the top club rowing programs in the United States. Conestoga previously qualified four boats for Youth Nationals at the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships earlier this month.

“The girls put together another impressive weekend by going 4-for-4 in making finals at this regatta. Our speed and depth have shown all year, and this was just another example of that,” said Girls’ Coach Austin Burke. “The experience of fast racing is invaluable, and the girls will benefit greatly as we close out the spring season and look ahead to next year. To our seniors — thank you — and I know our rising juniors and seniors are ready to take the next step and build on the success we’ve shown all spring long.”

Conestoga finished in the top 3% of all programs nationally, placing six boats into championship finals at SRAA Nationals. Out of 149 scholastic rowing programs competing at the regatta, only three schools placed more boats into A Finals than Conestoga.

• Girls Junior 2x — Amelie Martinez and Scarlett Miller (6th nationally)
• Girls Junior 4x — Sydney Ramrath, Maggie Ng, Letizia Martinez, Hannah Grossman (6th nationally)
• Girls Senior 2x — Brenna Haenn, Toscane Franchet (5th nationally)
• Boys Senior 2x — Hudson Dunkle and Avi Verma (6th nationally)
• Boys Junior 2x — Petras Vainius and William Simon (4th in their heat while competing against older rowers)

The Boys Junior 2x crew will shift back into the U17 competition at USRowing Youth Nationals in Sarasota, where they will race against the top crews in the country.

The strong showing at SRAA Nationals continues what has been one of the most successful seasons in recent program history. This spring, Conestoga won the Kate Godwin Trophy as the top girls sculling program in the Philadelphia Scholastic Rowing Association, finished second overall in the Horvat Series standings on the boys side, and placed seven boats on the podium at City Championships.

Conestoga Crew rows out of historic Boathouse Row in Philadelphia and has developed into one of the strongest public school rowing programs in the nation over the past 25 years.