America’s Biggest Collegiate Rowing Event, the 27th Annual Knecht Cup Regatta, Returns April 11 & 12 to Cooper River

Over 76 of the Nation’s Top College Rowing Programs Competing

CHERRY HILL, NJ, UNITED STATES, April 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- One of the nation’s premier collegiate rowing events, the Knecht Cup Regatta, returns to Camden County’s Cooper River on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, bringing more racing, more programs, and more excitement to the region for the 27th annual edition.

With more than 389 entries from over 76 men’s and women’s collegiate programs, the Knecht Cup Regatta ranks among the largest collegiate rowing competitions in not only the United States but also the world.

Each year, the event attracts a nationally diverse field representing Division I, II, and III programs, as well as club teams, creating a highly competitive and nationally visible weekend of racing.

Long regarded as a cornerstone of the collegiate rowing calendar, the 2026 Knecht Cup Regatta will feature an expanded slate of racing. Newly added events include men’s and women’s Coxed Quads as well as newly named trophies will recognize the living legacy and impact of Albert P. Wachlin, Lois Trench-Hines, Mark Valenti, and Ann and Marie Jonik, among others.

The 2026 regatta will also spotlight an expanded Paralympic racing program, reinforcing the Knecht Cup’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and competitive opportunity. This year’s para events will include men’s and women’s PR1, PR2, PR 3 and the women’s Inclusion Doubles, drawing elite adaptive athletes from across the country to compete on one of the sport’s most respected courses.

Teams competing at this year’s Knecht Cup Regatta are drawn from 17 states as well as the District of Columbia, including: Connecticut (4), Delaware (1), District of Columbia (2), Florida (3), Indiana (1), Maryland (3), Massachusetts (8), Michigan (2), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (4), New York (10), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Pennsylvania (17), Rhode Island (2), Virginia (3), West Virginia (1) and Wisconsin (2).

Among the notable Philadelphia-area programs expected to compete this weekend are Bryn Mawr, Drexel, Haverford, La Salle, St. Joseph’s, Temple, Thomas Jefferson and Villanova.

Nationally recognized programs from across the country competing in the 2026 Knecht Cup Regatta include Boston College, Boston University, Bucknell, Case Western Reserve, Catholic University, Colgate, Connecticut, Delaware, Holy Cross, Eastern Michigan, Fairfield, Fordham, Franklin & Marshall, George Mason, Georgetown, Iona, Ithaca, Jacksonville, Lafayette, Lehigh, Marist, Maryland, Massachusetts, M.I.T., Merrimack, Monmouth, Milwaukee School of Engineering, New Hampshire, New York Maritime, Oklahoma City, Old Dominion, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rhode Island, Susquehanna, U.S. Merchant Marine, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Both days of the 27th Annual Knecht Cup Regatta will be livestreamed on YouTube for the fourth consecutive year. Scheduled to host the livestream are senior rowing commentators including veteran rowing commentator Joe Leonard, Philadelphia’s FOX 29 News meteorologist Drew Anderson (Saturday) and two-time World Champion coxswain, four-time US National Team member, and USRowing’s 2025 Female Athlete of the Year, Coral Kasden. Also expected to join the livestream are several surprise Olympic champion guests.

The Knecht Cup Regatta is sanctioned by USRowing. Through USRowing sanctioning, the Knecht Cup benefits from the organization’s referee corps, insurance program, and on-the-ground regatta support, all designed to uphold universal standards for safety and fairness.

There is no admission fee to this year’s regatta, which takes place on the Cooper River, with the finish line at the Grandstand located near the intersection of Donahue Avenue and North Park Drive in Cherry Hill, NJ.

Races begin each day at approximately 7:30 a.m., and concludes each day at approximately 5:30 p.m.

At the finish line, attendees can watch the livestream on Jumbotron screens. Other amenities include refreshments and concessions.

USRowing has partnered with the Knecht Cup Regatta to present four unique events during the two-day rowing championships featuring both former and current USRowing National Team members, including:
• Saturday, at 9 a.m., Pathways in Rowing, with panelists Marqus Brown, Eli Margolin, and Steve Ciraolo
• Saturday at 12 Noon, Mental Performance with Cara Stawicki and Coral Kasden
• Saturday at 3 p.m., History of Rowing with Peter Mallory and E. J. Woodhouse
• And at 4:30 p.m. USRowing Happy Hour at LaScala’s Birra to 6:30 p.m.

In addition, USRowing National Team members, including Kaitlin Knifton, Kaitlyn Kynast, Eli Margolin and Jess Thoennes, will be available at an autograph session on Sunday at 9 a.m.

The Knecht Cup Regatta is more than a weekend of competition. It is a living tribute to William J. “Bill” Knecht and Ana Tamas Knecht, two individuals whose contributions helped shape the sport of rowing in the United States and beyond.

The Cooper River itself stands as a testament to that vision. Originally developed in the 1930s through federal programs including the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, the river was transformed into a 2.5-mile-long lake designed for both recreation and elite competition.

Today, it is recognized as one of the premier rowing venues in the country, hosting national championship events and welcoming athletes from around the world.

Building on that foundation, Bill Knecht played a pivotal role in elevating the Cooper River into a world-class racing facility beginning in the 1960s and continuing well into the 1990s.

An Olympic gold medalist and longtime member of the Vesper Boat Club, Knecht was known for his precision, discipline, and relentless dedication to the sport of rowing. His contributions extended far beyond his own competitive success, helping to shape rowing at the national and international levels through leadership roles with the global rowing community, and as one of the founders of USRowing. which is now the governing body of the sport in the United States.

Alongside him was Ana Tamas Knecht, a world-class athlete and pioneering coach whose influence left an equally lasting mark. Arriving in the United States from Romania in 1968, she brought with her an extraordinary record that included 14 world championships and recognition as her country’s first female “Honored Master of Sport.” Known for her intensity and leadership, she broke barriers and became one of the most respected coaches on the Schuylkill River, shaping generations of athletes.

Together, their legacy lives on through the Knecht Cup Regatta.

The free livestream and additional information are available online at https://knechtcupregatta.com.

Jim DeLorenzo
Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations
+1 215-266-5943
jim@jhdenterprises.com
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From April 2025 - CBS Philadlephia: Knecht Cup Regatta at Cooper River Park in New Jersey is a family affair

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