First-ever SEC Rowing Championship set for Oak Ridge’s Melton Lake

By Trevor McGee

Melton Lake in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, will host the inaugural SEC Rowing Championship on Sunday, May 11, as four teams battle for the conference’s first rowing crown.

Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas will go head-to-head on the waters of Melton Hill Lake.

The Melton Lake rowing venue offers 30 miles of water and a fully-buoyed, seven-lane race course and has hosted national regattas since 1978, providing an ideal stage for the SEC’s newest sport.

“We look forward to adding the sport of rowing in the Southeastern Conference and bringing our first rowing championship to Oak Ridge, Tennessee,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a press release. “We believe Oak Ridge will provide an excellent venue for our student-athletes, and we appreciate the work of the Oak Ridge Rowing Association in hosting the event.”

The championship will feature six races, including first through third varsity fours, and first through third varsity eights.

Leading the field are Texas and Tennessee, two powerhouses that are vying to create a competitive rivalry.

Texas head coach Dave O’Neill guided the Longhorns to the 2024 title, where Texas outscored third-place Tennessee, 130-118. O’Neill built a championship program at California before arriving in Austin and has established the Longhorns as perennial contenders.

Tennessee, meanwhile, aims to defend home waters under second-year head coach Kim Cupini. After departing SMU in 2023, Cupini led the Lady Vols to the best finish in program history last season. Now, she eyes the SEC title as another building block in Tennessee’s rapid ascent.

“This is a huge milestone for our program and for the sport of rowing in the Southeastern Conference,” Cupini said in a press release. “Our team has worked incredibly hard, and there’s no better place to showcase our talent than right here at home. I can’t wait for our athletes to compete on this stage and for our fans to experience the energy and excitement of championship rowing.”

Alabama enters the regatta following a third-place finish in the Big 12 last season, while Oklahoma looks to improve on its fifth-place result.

Races will be streamed on SEC Network Plus at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, as events begin every 15 minutes.

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