CHERRY HILL, N.J. — Drake Rowing wrapped up its 2026 season at the Dad Vail Regatta with a strong finish, highlighted by a first-place performance from the varsity four in Final 3 and a three-race weekend from the novice four.

The Bulldogs' varsity four ended the regatta on a high note, winning Final 3 with a time of 8:18.020. Drake finished ahead of Albany, which placed second in 8:33.700, and Saint Joseph's, which took third in 8:42.890.

Drake's novice four also put together a strong weekend of racing. The Bulldogs opened the regatta by placing fourth in the time trial in 8:08.393 to advance to the semifinals. Drake then finished third in its semifinal in 8:27.240 before closing the weekend with a fifth-place finish in the grand final in 8:29.100.

Head coach Charlie DiSilvestro said he was proud of the way the team responded to finish the season.

"I'm really proud of the way the team ended its season," DiSilvestro said. "The varsity four had a great race to win the third-level final. When you don't achieve the goal of making the grand final, it can be hard to stay motivated and go out and win a lower-level final, but our team did exactly that, and I respect them so much for it."

DiSilvestro also praised the development of Drake's novice four throughout the regatta.

"Our novice four had three great races, and they got stronger each time out," DiSilvestro said. "They showed great maturity this weekend and will be a great addition to our varsity squad next spring."

Drake's performance at Dad Vail closes the book on the 2026 campaign, with both boats showing growth and competitiveness to end the season.