Rowing 150: The Conlan Cup

On Sunday, April 27, the Syracuse men's rowing team will take on Boston University in their annual showdown for the Conlan Cup. 'Cuse enters the race after taking home the trophy in each of the last three races.

The Conlan Cup was created in 1987 and named after Bill Conlan, the founder of the Boston University rowing program, and is awarded to the winning varsity eight crew between Syracuse and BU. The Terriers won the inaugural cup in 1987, before Syracuse went on to win the next three. The cup has changed hands multiple times, as Syracuse holds the longest win-streak with five-straight wins from 2006-10.

The Conlan Cup has been contested every year since its inception except three; 1996 (no race), 2020 (COVID-19), and 2021 (SU and BU raced but not for the cup).

Syracuse has captured the Conlan Cup 19 times in 35 races, including every contest since 2022. Head coach Dave Reischman has led Syracuse to 10 of SU's 19 Conlan Cup victories, including the current three-year streak where each time the cup was raced for on Lake Morey in Fairlee, Vermont.

About Syracuse 150:
Syracuse University is celebrating 150 years of rowing during the 2024-25 season. In the fall of 1874, the SU Rowing Club was founded, but it wasn't until the 1899-1900 school year that a varsity crew existed with the Syracuse University Navy, coached by Cornell alum E.R. Sweetland. On June 15, 1900, Syracuse competed in its first intercollegiate race on Onondaga Lake against Cornell, birthing a rivalry that still exists today.

Syracuse has won six IRA National Championships (Varsity 8) while claiming the Stewards Cup (Freshman Eight) 12 times, the Kennedy Challenge Cup (JV Eight) six times and the Eric Will Trophy (Varsity Four with Coxswain) once in its illustrious career. Syracuse is one of three programs to have reached the Grand Final of the IRA Regatta in each of the last four seasons, placing 4^th (2021), 5^th (2022 and 2023) and 6^th in 2024.

For more on Syracuse men's rowing, follow @CuseMRowing on social media.

Syracuse University Athletics

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