HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women's rowing team is set to compete for its first Mid-American Conference Championship on Saturday, May 16 in Ypsilanti, Michigan on Ford Lake.

In its first season competing in the MAC, HPU Head Coach Jessica Deitrick and her staff have worked diligently through nine regattas to prepare the Panthers for a chance to hoist a trophy this spring.

"To say we are excited for Saturday is an understatement," Deitrick said. "We have been talking about this moment, our first conference championship, for two years now.  The women and our staff have put in countless hours to prepare for this and we are ready. We will go into Saturday with determination, faith and belief in the process and ourselves."

HPU will face fellow conference members UMass, Toledo, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, and Temple in four races, aiming to accumulate as many points as possible. The MAC Championship format includes races for each boat category: 1V8, 2V8, 3V8, 1V4, and 2V4.

Deitrick will have one boat competing in four of the five races. The 1V8 race offers the highest point total, followed by the 2V8. The 1V4 and 2V4 races will also be contested, though the 2v4 will not contribute points toward the team total.

MAC Championship hosted by Eastern Michigan
Saturday, May 16 | Ford Lake | Ypsilanti, Mich. 
Wach Live on ESPN+
Results

HPU Race Schedule:
2v4: 9:00 a.m.
1v4: 9:30 a.m.
2v8: 9:45 a.m.
1v8: 10:00 a.m.

HPU Lineups
2v4: Ally Sims (C), Aliyah Strickland, Michaela Islas, Price Rinker, Sydney Rogness
1v4: Arianna Ording (C), Gabby Caintic, Josephine Chapuis, Kiarra Shouder, Bailey Upchurch
2v8: Carolyn Fox (C), Rylee Templar, Anneke Calhoun, Bailey White, Willow Conley, Maddy Cummings, Alexandra Laufer, Caitlin Enright, Lucy Laborde
1v8: Grayson Williams (C), Genevieve Alexander, Anna Venditti, Audrey Houle, Riley Verner, Saige Wiggins, Annabelle Everding, Avery Falor, Kate Concepcion

"Being a part of the foundation and legacy during the first two years of High Point Women's Rowing, I thank God for pushing me past my limitations with this BUILDing team," HPU sophomore Kate Concepcion said. "To compete for the first ever Mid-American Conference Championship means everything. All the mental, physical, and emotional hours both on land and water has led the team to this very moment. Over this past season, we have experienced so much growth, success, and speed together. We came in as a brand-new program with a vision, and through the trust in our training and belief in one another, we have continued to build something bigger than ourselves. We are proud of how far we've came to wrap up the 2025-2026 year. Thankful for everyone who believed in us from the beginning, and ready to give everything we have at MAC."