Notre Dame rowing is approaching the end of its 2026 season, having competed in five intense invitationals before preparing for the ACC Championships and the National Championship.
The Irish got off to a rocky start at the Cardinal Invitational in mid-March, coming in the middle of the pack. Their performance continued in the Ohio State Spring Regatta, the Irish finding themselves alternating between second and third place.
Notre Dame had one of its strongest performances of the season at the Navy/Columbia meet on April 4, consistently coming in second place. They could not overcome Columbia, who led each race, but only trailed by a few minutes each time. There was significant distance between Notre Dame and host team Navy, and the consistency in Notre Dame’s lead was evidence of the hard work they had put in throughout the season.
However, Notre Dame found itself at the tail-end of the pack of the Big Ten Invitational in mid-April. Competing against powerhouses like Ohio State, Rutgers and Washington, Notre Dame ended most races in fourth and fifth place. Only Michigan State and San Diego were below the Irish, and the competition was great preparation for postseason action.
On April 26, the Irish looked the best they had all season when they competed in the MACRA Championship in Indianapolis. Notre Dame led most of their races, trailing just minutes behind Purdue to take home a second-place finish. The meet was another chance to see how the Irish compared against teams they had previously faced, such as Michigan and Michigan State, and they certainly held strong.
The Irish are led by head coach Martin Stone, who has been loyal to the blue and gold since the program officially began in 1997. He has been the only coach for the Irish varsity program, and his knowledge and dedication has been visible in his team’s results.
When asked what has made him stay with Notre Dame, he said, “It is the people, completely the people. Whether the students I am really fortunate enough to work with every day or the faculty and staff every day.”
Rowing, especially at the collegiate level, has some of the most intensive training and preparation athletes must undergo to be competition-ready. Stone said he focuses training for his athletes on consistently offering opportunities to perform.
“Here’s the goal; here’s the obstacle; and we're going to get through it, so let's figure out how we are going to do it,” Stone said.
He added, “With the student athletes I am fortunate enough to work with here, they know deep down inside they have to do things to have that fulfillment in their life. Down inside they need to do really difficult things to feel like they have accomplished.”
Senior Annmarie Wallis and junior Emma Hopsicker reflected on their time with the team. Both athletes continuously mentioned how the team is tight-knit and constantly pushing themselves to not only be better, but to push past their limits.
“We really value grittiness, willingness to dig your heels in and put the work in when things don't get to go your way. We need to be able to have a really great competitive edge,” Wallis said. “Having that grittiness makes you a top performer. We hold each other accountable and [the team] elevates us with how hard they work.”
As the season is nearing its end, anticipation grows for bringing home some hardware at the conference and national championships. Despite the recently middling statistics on paper, both Wallis and Hopsicker were proud of their team’s ability to overcome and keep growing.
“We faced a little more adversity together this year, whether it be injuries or competition we faced at races,” Hopsicker said. “Yet despite that, our team is just gritty and willing to work, and we are willing to grow through that adversity together. We are always fighting to be better.”
The team will head to Lake Wheeler at Raleigh, North Carolina to compete in the ACC Championship May 15-16. The pressure is on, since their performance will dictate if they can make a dent at Nationals toward the end of the month. If the season’s trend continues, the Irish can wield their mental toughness and competitive grit to outlast their opponent. Regardless of the circumstances, Notre Dame should not count itself out.
