October 27, 2026 | Women's Rowing
The Badgers finish the fall season with a home scrimmage
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin women's openweight rowing team concludes their fall 2026 season by hosting the Minnesota Golden Gophers at home on Saturday, Oct. 31. Racing is currently scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m.
As the team gets ready for the water, here are f(oar) things to know:
1. WHAT TO KNOW:
Minnesota travels to Madison for a Border Battle match up against Wisconsin. This will mark race four of the season for the Badgers and race two for Minnesota.
The two teams have a long history of fall scrimmages over the years, both in Madison and Minneapolis. The Badgers ended their 2025 fall season in a similar fashion of hosting a scrimmage with Minnesota at Marshall Park. This year, the teams plan to again race across Lake Mendota.
Following the scrimmage, the Badgers will return in the spring for a full lineup of races.
2. THE COURSE:
With conditions permitting, the crews will likely begin the race at University Bay and finish at Memorial Union, racing eastward across the lake. The teams will also participate in a head race of 4000 meters, anticipated to start near Picnic Point. Course details will be updated contingent upon weather conditions and any changes to the race.
Spectators are welcome to watch the races along the way, including viewing points at the Porter Boathouse, Memorial Union and on the shore of Lake Mendota.
3. FINISHING THE FALL SEASON:
The team finishes their fall slate of races on Saturday.
Looking back, Wisconsin started the season at the Milwaukee River Challenge on Oct. 3, where it placed third in the open fours and eights. The open fours placed first in the race at Eastern Michigan University the following week. Finishing their time on the road, the team sent a crew to compete in the championship fours at the Head of the Charles Regatta on Oct. 18.
For the Gophers, Minnesota previously hosted the Head of the Mississippi on Oct. 3, with teams including Creighton, St. Olaf, Michigan Tech and others.
4. FOLLOW ALONG:
Race results will be available on uwbadgers.com following the competition as well as the women's rowing Instagram and X pages.
