After years of rigorous academics, early-morning lifts and long practices, Mt. Lebanon senior Evie Smith has committed to the University of Notre Dame rowing program, one of the nation’s top Division I women’s teams.
Rowing is a team sport dating back to the 18th century and typically features four to eight athletes in a boat. The sport includes two disciplines: sweep rowing, in which each athlete uses one oar, and sculling, where each athlete uses two. Smith competes primarily in sculling with her club team, Three Rivers Youth Rowing, though all NCAA women’s rowing is sweep-based.
Smith was introduced to rowing by her aunt, a former University of Pennsylvania rower, and a neighbor who competed at the collegiate level. Having participated in swimming, track and cross country since elementary school, Smith already had a strong endurance base that translated well to rowing.
Her neighbor had Smith complete a 2,000-meter test, the standard distance used in recruiting evaluations. That experience led her to attend several rowing camps before eventually joining a club team in downtown Pittsburgh.
Smith began the recruiting process later than many of her peers but said it became one of the most rewarding experiences of her athletic career. Her top schools included Duke, Navy, Southern California and Notre Dame, where she ultimately felt the best fit.
“While I really loved all the teams and coaches I talked to, a big part of my decision was that going to Notre Dame offered me the opportunity to compete at one of the highest levels both athletically and academically,” Smith said. “I also get to do it alongside my sister.”
Smith will join her sister, Lily Smith, a junior on Notre Dame’s rowing team, when she arrives on campus in South Bend.
One of the biggest misconceptions about rowing, Smith said, is that it is an easy sport. In reality, she describes it as one of the most physically demanding activities she has ever done. Her training schedule includes 2½-hour afternoon practices and 1½-hour morning sessions twice a week.
“Rowing, like swimming and running, can be very long, hard and monotonous sometimes,” Smith said. “But on those days, I tell myself that being miserable isn’t going to make it any easier, so I might as well enjoy every moment.”
The lessons Smith has learned on the water extend beyond rowing. She said the discipline and mental toughness the sport demands have helped prepare her for academic challenges as well.
“I do hard things, whether that is a tough practice or a hard test,” Smith said. “Through early-morning practices and days when I didn’t feel my best, I’ve learned that I am capable of so much more than I think.”
Smith credits her father as having the greatest influence on her mental approach to athletics.
“Those lessons about pushing through uncomfortable situations and always giving your best have helped me in every aspect of my life,” she said.
For athletes navigating the recruiting process, Smith encourages persistence.
“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and email coaches,” she said. “While coaches care about times, they’re also recruiting great teammates and leaders.”
