Women's Rowing Makes Its Mark at PRC Invite

The Saint Ignatius women's rowing team delivered an impressive performance on their home course at Lake Merced during the PRC Invite this past weekend. Starting with the V8+, which edged out PRC at the line to claim a third-place finish - the excitement didn't stop there—the 2V 8+, 3V 8+, and U16 8+ followed suit, each securing third place in their respective races. Watching our small high school team hold its own against larger clubs and continue to rise was a thrilling moment for the program.  "It's a remarkable achievement, considering we were at the bottom of the rankings only three seasons ago." Coach Hayden shared.  

Shown here is the SI U16 8+ challenging Marin RC. 

Line up Cox Natalie West, Fiona Antonini, Marcella Arieta, Tatum Barrett, Elizabeth Nangle, Olivia Horan, Noemi Rathgeb, Jackelyn Lange, Cailyn Stewart.

For those closely following the team, a particularly notable performance came from our freshman in the U16 8+. Just a month ago at the Novice Regatta, this freshman crew trailed Los Gatos and Marin by 15 and 12 seconds, respectively. Now, they have impressively closed that gap to 11 and 3 seconds. 

Coach Patsy Miller shared that "the freshmen have a real opportunity here that will demand even more hard work and focus from the team but their optimism is contagious and it's the secret sauce for success."

The women's team continues to rally behind one another, with Coach Hayden emphasizing the importance of older, more experienced athletes leading by example—teaching younger rowers what it means to chase a team, set ambitious goals, and trust in the process. 

"I'm not going to lie—losing to PRC at Capital in the V8+ the previous weekend stung. But with some strategic lineup adjustments, the team came back stronger, closing the gap and overtaking PRC at the line this time around. As always, boat lineups will continue to evolve throughout the season, with competition pushing each athlete to find new levels of speed and efficiency. But the takeaway is hugely valuable—there's nothing like a painful loss to force reflection and improvement. It's a beautiful example of our team culture; we are steeping these athletes in resilience and the belief that commitment and hard work bring results." Coach Hayden emphasized.

"We don't underestimate the depth of talent these clubs can draw from, but at the end of the day, it's our best eight against theirs, and I believe we have what we need—right here on our campus. I refuse to believe that our women's rowing team can't be among the best in the nation. Somebody has to do it - why not us?"  

While the fours were primarily used as a training platform for lineup evaluation, they still played a critical role in giving athletes valuable racing experience. SI pulled in some strong first and second place finishes, which we don't take for granted. There's still plenty of work to be done in the coming weeks, but the team is focused and determined. With just two weeks until San Diego, only three of SI's five eights will travel to represent the program—a decision that intensifies competition within the squad as athletes push for those highly coveted seats.  

Next Up: Senior Recognition, Alumni Day & Class Races

Before heading to San Diego, the team will recognize its seniors during our Alumni Day event at the boathouse on Saturday, March 22, at 10:30 am. This will be followed by Class Races, offering a chance for all those who call this boathouse a second home to come together and connect. We invite the entire SI community to join us at Lake Merced to applaud our dedicated seniors, watch athletes race against their classmates, and reconnect with alums from past seasons.  

Saint Ignatius rowing is on the rise—this season is shaping up to be one of our most competitive yet, and we can't wait to see how our athletes respond to the challenges ahead.