The Cathedral Catholic rowing program delivered a historic performance at the 2026 Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) National Championship Regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, securing the program’s first national championship.

Both the Dons boys’ and girls’ teams traveled across the country to compete against many of the top scholastic rowing programs in North America. Founded in 1935, the SRAA National Championship Regatta is widely regarded as the premier scholastic rowing event in North America, drawing the top high school rowing programs from across the United States and Canada. The annual event serves as the unofficial national championship for high school rowing and has crowned champions for more than 90 years.

The highlight of the weekend came from Cathedral Catholic’s Girls Senior Lightweight 4+, which captured the program’s first national championship. The championship crew of Julia Byrnes, Abby Cena, Sophia Edson, Annika Nies, and coxswain Julia Habas delivered an unforgettable performance. After advancing through the preliminary rounds, the Dons found themselves trailing during the championship final before mounting a remarkable comeback. The crew surged past the leaders in the final 500 meters and crossed the finish line first in a winning time of 6:08.49, earning gold medals as SRAA National Champions.

The victory marks the first SRAA National Championship for Cathedral Catholic Rowing on either the girls’ or boys’ side and stands as one of the greatest achievements in program history.

While the national title highlighted the weekend, the Dons were well represented throughout the regatta, with multiple boats competing on the national stage. Girls Junior 2x finished 5th in the Finals, and Boys JV 4x finished 6th in the Finals.

Cathedral Catholic’s girls’ entries included the National Champion Girls Senior Lightweight 4+, the Girls Junior 2x of Lyla Milligan and Mimi Earley, and the Girls JV 4x of Tavi Held, Gwen Reis, Chloe Mullen, Julia Lopez, and spare Madison Stevens. On the boys’ side, Tyler Macrae, Nick Roberts, and spare Enzo Bernardo for the Senior Boys 2x represented the Dons. The Boys’ Junior 4x consisted of Landon Morales, Kade Miles, Jake Vignevic, and Andreas Rull with spare Owen Podegracz.

 

The success in Tennessee reflects the dedication and commitment of the student-athletes, coaches, and families who have helped elevate the Cathedral Catholic rowing program over the years. Competing against the nation’s best and bringing home a national championship is a testament to the culture of hard work and perseverance that continues to drive the program forward.

Congratulations to all of the Dons rowers who represented Cathedral Catholic at Scholastic Nationals and to the Girls Senior Lightweight 4+ for making school history.

Row Dons!