SETTING THE SCENE
No. 4 Stanford lightweight rowing closes its 2026 campaign at the IRA National Championship, hosted on Lake Natoma in Gold River, California. Stanford has a trio of boats competing for hardware in the 8+, 4+ and 2x.
Full Schedule | Selection Criteria & Scoring
Saturday, May 30 Schedule
8:08 a.m. - 2x Heat
8:24 a.m. - 4+ Heat
8:40 a.m. - 8+ Heat
Saturday, May 30 Schedule
8:00 a.m. - 2x Petite Final
8:08 a.m. - 2x Grand Final
8:24 a.m. - 4+ Petite Final
8:32 a.m. - 4+ Grand Final
10:30 a.m. - 8+ Petite Final
10:38 a.m. - 8+ Grand Final
*Awards to follow each event, Team Awards set for 10:56 a.m.
IRA HISTORY
Stanford has won five IRA Commissioners Cups in program history, coming consecutively from 2015-19 and nine Camden County Freeholders Trophies, which is presented to the winner of the varsity eight race, from 2010-13 and 2015-19. On six occasions Stanford has earned the Cooper River Cup, which is presented to the winner of the varsity four, in 2015, 2017-19, 2021 and 2024. Stanford has also captured the Women's Lightweight Double trophy once, coming in 2017.
BRONZE AT SPRINTS
In its final action ahead of the IRA Championships, No. 5 Stanford lightweight rowing posted a bronze medal finish at Eastern Sprints, hosted on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts on May 3. The Cardinal eight finished in a time of 6:30.221 to claim the bronze medal by 3.6 seconds over Boston University, trailing only Princeton and Harvard-Radcliffe.
BOSTON STRONG
Stanford's V8+ continued its positive momentum at home with a win over No. 3 Boston University on April 25. The Cardinal took an early lead and won by 8.5 seconds, stopping the clock in a time of 7:01.2
B1G TIMES AT BIG TEN INVITE
Stanford posted its best times of the season on April 18 in Gold River, California at the Big Ten Invite, with the V8+ crossing the line first in its heat, against openweight programs, with a time of 6:33.516. The V4+ stopped the clock in 7:24.042.
HOME SWEET HOME
Stanford competed at home for the first time this season at Redwood shores, taking on No. 2 Princeton. After tight battles in the V8+ and V4+, Maddy Dodge and Zadie Diniz scored a four-second victory in the V2+ with a time of 8:20.54.
SPRING STARTS IN TENNESSEE
Competing against openweight boats, the Cardinal completed its first race of 2026 on Melton Hill Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Stanford’s varsity eight held its own against the Volunteers third and fourth openweight eights, leading through 500 meters and nearly level through 1500 meters before crossing the line just five seconds behind the third place boat in the heat.
SAN DIEGO SUCCESS
The Cardinal got off to a strong start in its lone race of the fall at the San Diego Fall Classic on Nov. 9. The Cardinal’s varsity eight finished in seventh place overall, crossing the finish line in a time of 16:15.240, and defeating 12 openweight programs despite being the only lightweight team in attendance.
Stanford fielded two varsity fours in the field, taking sixth and 12th. The sixth-place crew, which was faster than 17 openweight 4+ boats, stoppedthe clock at 18:57.421
NATIONALLY RANKED
Stanford's varsity 8+ enters the regatta at No. 4 in the Pocock CRCA Poll on May 12, jumping one spot, while the 4+ also slots in at No. 8 and the 2+ at No. 7.
A YEAR AGO
The second year under the leadership of associate head coach Lizzy Houston, Stanford finished sixth in the Commissioner’s Cup standings at the IRA National Championships. Stanford’s IRA Championship lineups featured 12 underclassmen, setting a strong foundation for the future of the Cardinal program.
At the IRA Championships, the double sculls duo, which included returning sophomore Channing Brook, posted Stanford’s top finish of the regatta with a fourth-place time of 7:49.47. The varsity four, which contained returners Kate Metteauer, Hannah Peters, Helen Pruitt-Kennett, Maddy Dodge and Zadie Diniz, followed with a seventh-place finish in 7:41.92, while the varsity eight clocked a 6:41.16 to take sixth, which held returners Marrisa Chow, Campbell McClellan, Grace Padula, Lauren Koester, Sophia Ramaraju and Elle Rosenfeld.
WELCOME TO THE FARM
Stanford welcomed a talented class of seven freshmen to the program: Juliet Bohn, Lily Carr, Francesca Krywosa, Mia Padovano, Amelie Requejo, Claire Steiner and Maddie Wu. Additionally, Maecy Rickman joined the program as assistant coach.
YEAR THREE FOR HOUSTON
Lizzy Houston enters her third season at the helm of the Cardinal lights, looking to build on last season's success. Her tenure on the Farm has included a runner-up finish at the 2024 IRA National Championships, including a national title for the Varsity 4+, and a sixth place finish in 2025.