Photo by: Scott Eklund / Red Box Pictures
Ford, Jacobs, Callahan Earn MPSF Postseason Honors
May 21, 2026 | Men's Rowing
The No. 1-ranked Washington men's rowing team earned another haul of honors today as the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation announced its postseason awards.
Sam Ford was honored as MPSF Athlete of the Year, Nikita Jacobs was tabbed as MPSF Coxswain of the Year, and Michael Callahan earned MPSF Coach of the Year, following the Huskies winning the conference title last Sunday at Lake Natoma.
Additionally, four Huskies were named to the All-MPSF team: Ford, Lyle Donovan, Ben Shortt, and Cameron Tasker.
Ford, who earned IRCA All-America last year, led the Huskies to the MPSF Championship, having rowed in the Huskies' varsity eight throughout his college career. This spring, in addition to the conference title, Washington's varsity eight also won the Bolles Cup over Harvard, the Benderson Cup, the Schoch Cup vs. California, and the Windermere Cup, when the UW beat the British National Team.
Jacobs was the coxswain for the Huskies' varsity eight all of this season, has coxed the UW's top crew nearly all of his career. Jacobs won a World Rowing Under 23 Championship in the British women's eight in 2025.
Callahan, in his 19th year as Washington's head coach, was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the first time, having won Pac-12 Coach of the Year 12 times. A nine-time IRA national champion head coach, Callahan and the Huskies will seek to defend their 2024 and 2025 crowns May 29-31 at the 2026 IRA National Championship Regatta.
Ford was joined on the All-MPSF team by three of his boatmates. Donovan, a senior from Milton, Ga., is a true walk-on who began rowing in college. After rowing in the second varsity eight each of the last two years, he has spent all of 2026 in the varsity. Donovan is a team co-captain along with Shortt, who won a national title in the varsity eight last season after having won gold in the second eight in 2024.
Tasker, who earned the UW's 2026 Schaller Award, for the highest grade point average on the team, won a national championship in the varsity eight in 2024 and, after working his way back from injury, has been a stalwart in the varsity eight all of 2026.
Sam Ford was honored as MPSF Athlete of the Year, Nikita Jacobs was tabbed as MPSF Coxswain of the Year, and Michael Callahan earned MPSF Coach of the Year, following the Huskies winning the conference title last Sunday at Lake Natoma.
Additionally, four Huskies were named to the All-MPSF team: Ford, Lyle Donovan, Ben Shortt, and Cameron Tasker.
Ford, who earned IRCA All-America last year, led the Huskies to the MPSF Championship, having rowed in the Huskies' varsity eight throughout his college career. This spring, in addition to the conference title, Washington's varsity eight also won the Bolles Cup over Harvard, the Benderson Cup, the Schoch Cup vs. California, and the Windermere Cup, when the UW beat the British National Team.
Jacobs was the coxswain for the Huskies' varsity eight all of this season, has coxed the UW's top crew nearly all of his career. Jacobs won a World Rowing Under 23 Championship in the British women's eight in 2025.
Callahan, in his 19th year as Washington's head coach, was named MPSF Coach of the Year for the first time, having won Pac-12 Coach of the Year 12 times. A nine-time IRA national champion head coach, Callahan and the Huskies will seek to defend their 2024 and 2025 crowns May 29-31 at the 2026 IRA National Championship Regatta.
Ford was joined on the All-MPSF team by three of his boatmates. Donovan, a senior from Milton, Ga., is a true walk-on who began rowing in college. After rowing in the second varsity eight each of the last two years, he has spent all of 2026 in the varsity. Donovan is a team co-captain along with Shortt, who won a national title in the varsity eight last season after having won gold in the second eight in 2024.
Tasker, who earned the UW's 2026 Schaller Award, for the highest grade point average on the team, won a national championship in the varsity eight in 2024 and, after working his way back from injury, has been a stalwart in the varsity eight all of 2026.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
COX
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
/ Men's Rowing
Washington Wins Men's 1V8+ and 2V8+ | 2026 MPSF Championship Highlights
Thursday, May 21
Men's Erickson Cascade Cup | 2026 Windermere Cup Highlights
Saturday, May 02
Washington Wins Men's 3V8+ | 2026 Windermere Cup Highlights
Saturday, May 02
2026 Windermere Cup Men's 8+ Final
Saturday, May 02
