Novice Recruits
Novice Women's Rowing
Michigan Rowing is recruiting athletes with experience in other sports to apply their skills and determination to the sport of rowing and become Big Ten and National Champions!
We are looking for tall, strong women for the 2026-27 season to continue the championship tradition of Michigan Rowing. If you are interested in learning more, apply here and contact Coach Gabbie.
Important Dates
• Tuesday, July 21, 8-9 p.m. -- First informational meeting
• Thursday, Aug. 18, 8-9 p.m. -- Second informational meeting
• Mon-Fri., Aug. 31-Sept 11 -- Tryouts
Note: All times Eastern; Meetings to be held via Zoom
More Information
Contact Coach Gabbie Graves (734) 465-4415
Athletic Medicine Tryout Personal Information, Release and Waiver of Liability
Michigan Sport Physical
Frequently Asked Questions
Catalina
Echavarria
Gretel
Ham
Ava
Harrington
Megan
Higley
Ella
Damratoski
Carly
Walsh
Megan
Gornick
Maddy
Stagg
Why did you decide to row?
Catalina Echavarria: I decided to row because I was looking for a challenge and a way to stay involved in athletics. As a former high school rower, I was drawn to the intensity of the sport, the discipline it requires and the chance to be part of a tight-knit team. Transitioning to coxing at the collegiate level gave me all of that and more. It allowed me to experience the sport from a new perspective and continue growing in a different role.
Ella Damratoski: I decided to try rowing because I craved a sense of community that only a team can provide. From doing sports all four years in high school and thriving on the busy schedule, I knew that an athletic community where I could push myself alongside other motivated individuals would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Carly Walsh: I decided to row because it gave me the opportunity to be a part of a program that represents something bigger than myself. Every aspect about being an athlete from the team camaraderie to lift/practices and team meeting is what brings me the greatest joy in my life. It has been my lifelong dream to not only be a D-I athlete but also one at Michigan. I am highly competitive and love athletics and was so excited in high school recruiting for the opportunity to pursue high-level athletics at Michigan. Also, growing up in the Bay Area, I was exposed to high level rowing clubs and was recommended by many friends to try rowing, which intrigued me to pursue the sport. Due to this, I decided to not play club volleyball my senior year and did one season of rowing at Oakland Strokes after I committed to Michigan the summer prior.
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What do you enjoy most about being on the team?
Ava Harrington: Being a novice rower at Michigan has taught me to never limit myself because I can do so much more than I could have imagined. I learned to push boundaries and achieve my goals through pure discipline and perseverance. The best part about this experience, however, is that I got to do it with my best friends. A sport like rowing makes you really appreciate the people around you because of each individual's commitment and overall support for each other. It is so fulfilling to know that on such a large team, every single person looks out for one another and pushes each other to not only build strength and speed, but also character.
Megan Higley: I enjoy having the opportunity to challenge myself and my teammates every day during practice. Through consistent hard work and dedication to the journey of learning a new sport, I love seeing the small and large improvements I make to contribute to my boat getting faster and stronger! I also enjoy the focus Michigan Rowing places on creating the best version of yourself and preparing you to succeed in the future throughout your time as a rower.
Damratoski: I met my best friends through Michigan Rowing. It's an incredible opportunity to be a student-athlete at the University of Michigan, but it is made so much stronger to be able to do it alongside your best friends. They are the people who kept me coming back after hard testing days, relentless seat racing, and early morning practices, and I will forever be grateful that rowing brought us together.
Megan Gornick: The best part of the team is the amount of time spent together and out of this, how close you get with your teammates and create close-knit friendships that have an unbreakable bond as you have been through so much together.
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What have you noticed about the team culture and being a part of Michigan Rowing?
Echavarria: The culture at Michigan Rowing is built on accountability, grit and support. Everyone holds each other to a high standard, both on and off the water, while also lifting each other up through challenges, both big and small. There's a strong sense of family. Teammates celebrate every win, big or small, and stand by each other no matter what. I couldn't ask for a better team to be part of.
Gretel Ham: The team culture at Michigan is incredibly supportive. Given the amount of time we spend together, the team has truly become a family. Everyone here wants you to be the best that you can, which would be very difficult to achieve without the immense support from teammates, coaches, academic advisors, trainers, and so many others. We are all different from each other but are able to work together and support one another to reach a collective goal. That is a really amazing thing to be a part of.
Maddy Stagg: This is one of the most hardworking, yet lighthearted, teams I have ever been a part of. These girls want nothing more than to see each other and themselves succeed, but we have fun doing it.
Walsh: Being a part of Michigan Rowing is such a great experience that has grown me as a person and will shape me into my best version by the time I finish the program. The team culture is strong, as everyone is always working to get better and be faster. When we got fourth this year, it was clear that was not good enough and everyone is working hard to once again be Big Ten champions, as that is always the goal. Being a part of this team has been the best experience.
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How has rowing affected your academics?
Echavarria: Rowing has actually improved my academic performance by forcing me to manage my time more effectively. With a demanding practice and travel schedule, I've learned to prioritize, stay organized and make the most of every moment. The discipline I've developed carries over into the classroom, and the academic resources available at Michigan have been incredibly helpful in balancing everything.
Higley: My academics have flourished while being on the rowing team. I have found that having limited time during the day to dedicate to my schoolwork has allowed me to be more efficient and productive with my time. I am able to manage my time and plan my studying around rowing practices and competitions in order to excel academically at a high level. In addition, I enjoy studying with my teammates every night since we are on the same rowing practice schedules and live together!
Gornick: At first, it was a lot to balance; however, having Abby, our academic adviser, in your corner allowed my academics to be stable and successful. The resources are there if you go out and take them. The time management is tough on academics; however, with resources and priorities straight, good grades can be achieved.
Walsh: Rowing has given me so many resources to succeed in academics by offering tutoring sessions, priority access to classes, and our amazing adviser Abbey. While rowing does take up a lot of time and energy which made it difficult at first, once I got into my routine, these resources have allowed me to succeed academically my freshman year, finishing with a 3.8 GPA and being accepted into the Ross School of Business for my last three years.
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How would you describe your teammates?
Ham: I would describe my teammates as hard working, strong and capable. It is incredibly inspiring to show up to practice each day and see what everyone is capable of. One of the things I appreciate most about my teammates is that we push each other to be better in every aspect of life, not just in the boat.
Harrington: The bonds I have formed with my teammates are unbreakable. We've seen each other at our best and at our worst. Through every challenge and success, my teammates have been nothing but supportive and motivating. Being a novice means being among the most hardworking, disciplined and relentless teammates you could ask for. Learning a new sport together tests these traits but builds a friendship like no other.
Stagg: My teammates have inspired me every day to be the best version of myself by being surrounded by such hardworking women. Not only are my teammates motivated, hardworking, smart and great teammates, but they are also great people who I can call both teammates and friends. Everyone is always striving to be the best they can, which creates a high-level environment that pushes everyone to be better. I enjoy my time with my teammates both at practice and on campus.
Gornick: I would describe all of my teammates as close as cousins and my closest teammates as sisters. My teammates are all supportive and no matter how well I know them, we will always cheer each other on and want the best for each other while working together for a combined goal of Michigan rowing success.
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What does it mean to be an athlete at Michigan and represent the Wolverines on the water?
Harrington: Being an athlete at Michigan is the most rewarding and valuable experience I will ever have. A Michigan athlete is motivated, focused and resilient in all aspects of life. It means being part of a family that pushes you to be your best and never lets you settle. Wearing the block M on the water makes me feel unstoppable, knowing I'm surrounded by the most driven and dedicated people I've ever known.
Stagg: Being an athlete at Michigan is the greatest honor which I never take for granted. It has been my dream since eighth grade to be an athlete at Michigan and it has lived up to be everything and more. Michigan is so unique in its ability to be elite academically and athletically which makes me a better person every day. Michigan is such a great university and is an honor to represent on the water. Everywhere we go there is always such respect for the university, and people will always say, Go Blue. There is no university I would rather represent on the water.
Damratoski: It's hard to describe the feeling of lining up on the starting blocks, your heart racing with adrenaline, your palms itching with excitement, your eyes focused on the block M on the uni in front of you. One of my teammates used to always say of course you can, you're a Michigan Wolverine. How many people can say they not only study, but compete for, one of the best universities in the world? Being a student-athlete is hard, it can be stressful, and it tests you physically and mentally every day. But I couldn't imagine my world without rowing. How lucky are we to have such an amazing school to represent? How lucky are we to have the privilege to get up every morning and train to win and win for Michigan? And I am the most lucky to do it alongside my best friends.
