Ava Varghese '26 Recruiting Profile

Hello! My name is Ava, and I am a Junior at Emma Willard School. I am interested in pursuing a career naval architecture/marine engineering or nuclear engineering. In addition to my academic motivation, I enjoy pursuing my athletic goals. 

I have been rowing since 8th grade. Prior to rowing, I had never really done a sport. Within my first year of rowing at the Albany Rowing Center, I advanced to the varsity team and was attending six practices a week, training with the juniors and seniors on my team. There were few people my age on the team when I first joined, so I decided to row the single. Rowing the single was never easy, but I was determined to find a way to keep up with the older members of the team. I could not rely on the energy of my teammates in the single, so I really learned how to efficiently push the boat. With a clear sense of my goals and a fiercely competitive spirit, I tested my physical and mental limits to ultimately find success at races and our challenging daily practices in the single. I enjoy the process of getting results, and I appreciate hard work. Rowing gives me a deep sense of satisfaction, which is something I value greatly. After two years of primarily single rowing, I realized that I wanted to have a team. I made the decision to join the crew team at my school in sophomore year. My technical skill enabled me to effectively stroke the 4+. For the first time ever, I was sweeping and learning how to collaborate with other rowers. This was a new challenge, different from what I had experienced in the single. I had to adapt! My devotion to the refinement and success of the team led us to win bronze medals at the State Championship and to advance to the semifinals at SRAA Nationals in 2024. I love working with others. I continued to row my single, and I won silver at States. In my sophomore year, my school awarded me the Rising Star Award and the Helen S. Cheel '23 Award for Athletic Achievement, Sportsmanship, and Spirit. I found success at a number of head races this past fall in the 4+ and 1x, and I also became the team captain. In the spring of 2025, I became a state champion in the Junior 4+ and advanced to finals at SRAA Nationals, where we finished in 4th.

I am interested in rowing in college because I value the structure that rowing gives to my life, and I believe that would enhance my college experience.