When I first went up to Andover as a new sophomore, I played water polo in the fall, basketball in the winter, and the spring was up for grabs - I actually went with softball - but halfway during the season I got hit in the face with a softball and it broke my nose, excluding me from participating in any contact sports for the rest of the season. Therefore I took the sign and tried rowing - and its a good thing I did, my mom says it was fate that my nose got broken! I am not sure about that but I think I made the best of the situation :) haha

2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?

There is one time my junior year of high school when I knew for sure that I loved rowing - I don't know how many people I have told this to, as its kind of embarrassing, but whatever - I remember being so excited for crew practice that I was dancing around my dorm room to some Ace of Base song, I can't remember which one - I mean does it really matter, any are shameful haha. At that moment I knew that I really liked rowing because I couldn't wait to go to practice and start hauling on that oar and then run home from the boathouse afterwards. I think when I made the junior national team after three months of rowing, clearly not having any technical skills, I knew that the national team was a feasible possibility and subsequently the Olympics. Since I have wanted to go to Olympics since I was a kid, playing "swimming in the Olympics" with my sis in the pool at our club, I took this opportunity running full speed!

3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?

I think my best race was probably winning NCAA's in 2006 by open water. I think when people ask me this question they often expect me to say something with the national team but I can honestly say that up to now there has been nothing more gratifying than working for 4 years with my best friends and coach and mentor to achieve something that the Princeton women haven' t captured since women's rowing became an NCAA sport. Winning a national championship with and for Princeton women's crew is my proudest rowing moment. I can't think of a worst race, all my kinda bad races have been positive in some respect. I always learn some really important lessons from every race.

4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?

I am not sure if people know this or not, but in college when I had a 2k erg test I would get really nervous/amped up for it. At some point the week before the erg test I would go into the erg room to label and commune with the erg that I would mark as the erg I wanted to test on. I wanted to make sure it felt right and wanted to give me a PR!!

5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?

I think the most important thing to remember is that rowing is a sport and it's supposed to be fun. So every row try to enjoy something whether it's the people you are with, the day, whatever and let it keep you uplifted and positive. The more fun you are having the better you will perform!!!