After an incredible challenge, the results of the 2026 EcoAthletes Collegiate Cup Powered by Protect Where We Play are in.
Oregon State wins the cup after logging 3872 hours of exercise in the past 6 weeks and removing 419 lbs of plastic and trash from coastal waterways.
Professional Stand Up Paddle Champion Tanja Eckeris is the individual Champion winning Most Valuable Cupper (MVC). She logged 198.5 hours of exercise, and 100 lbs of plastic and trash will be removed on her behalf.
Exercise is converted into an environmental currency, funded by our partners Protect Where We Play that supports vital plastic and trash removal from coastal waterways.
The impact:
1,041 athletes
49 schools
16,633 hours of exercise with a total distance of92,468 km or 57,457 miles
1 tonne of plastic removed from our waterways
One tonne of trash, that’s 2000 pounds of plastic and garbage, will be removed from beaches, waterways and our ocean by Ocean Conservancy and its International Coastal Cleanup partners.
The podium:
1st place Oregon State was led by rower Isabella Mitchell
2nd place Amherst earned 2838.5 hours and 307 pounds led by lacrosse player Anna Whitworth
3rd place saw 2025 Cup winners Cornell University earn 1067 hours and 115 pounds led by basketball player Emily Pape
The race for the MVC came down to a battle between two EcoAthletes Champions on the final day!
Tanja Ecker, a world-class stand up paddler had1 98.5 hours for 100 lbs.
Pro golfer Celina Sattelkau was right behind with 196.5 hours and 60 lbs.
In 3rd place, Margeaux Matz of the Amherst team had 173 hours and 40 lbs.
Congratulations to everyone who took part!
Athletes from around the world uphold Earth Day every day, and the Collegiate Cup is a signature annual event which supports plastic removal through exercise. Learn more at EcoAthletes.org.
