TIGHTER BONDS, BIGGER GOALS
Susie Mallen ‘26, Stanford Women’s Rowing Team Leader
Another year has come and gone, but not without the forging of tighter bonds, exciting moments, and unforgettable memories! Reminisce with me and hear about what we’ve been up to on the Farm.
Last season, we achieved some great things and entered this year with lots of momentum. Something amazing about this team is that we’re able to celebrate our accomplishments while keeping our eyes on this year’s prize. The training has stayed intentional, the rowing sharp. Building up to the 2026 season, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to test our speed at practice, and a few chances to take our talents out of the Port for racing.
We kicked off this year’s fall season with a weekend in San Diego. After some line dancing lessons and fun racing in the big wakes* of Mission Bay, we were out exploring SoCal when we learned that our flight home was cancelled. Fear not! Emily, Antonella, and Molly Milligan (affectionately ‘Milly’) crafted a plan that was as meticulously mapped out as it was fun: we’d get up bright and early, and go on…. a ROAD TRIP! The drive was long, but it provided the perfect opportunity for bonding time with teammates, including a new class of freshmen, who have already brought so much life and experience to our squad. We played games, sang songs, learned about each other, and returned to campus closer than ever.
Then came our annual Little Big Row versus Cal. Due to some silly invasive snails infesting the waters of Briones, we had to split the team up into two scrimmaging locations, but cheered each other on across the Bay! Both groups had incredibly strong showings, and up at Briones, the girls got to end their day rowing in mixed lineups with Cal.
Off the water, we’ve seen the spice of life. Three lifts a week, stadium runs, even a cheeky Dish loop run to start the year. . . we are really doing it all. Speaking of cross-training, winter break is here! While most of us will be training on our own time, the foot stays on the gas. Break is a time to reset mentally while also representing SWC far and wide, be it in our garages, local gyms, or out on the asphalt. And while we may be all across the globe, we are never alone — our Strava group, the annual ‘points challenge,’ and our love for one another will keep us connected during what is one of the most pivotal training blocks building up to spring. Family members: be prepared to get solicited to join your daughters in all sorts of fun cross-training activities, both for bonding and to contribute to the mission.
In the spirit of the holidays, we would like to extend a warm ‘thank you’ to everyone who has shown us any kind of support, be it by joining us in-person to watch a practice or race, providing financial support, commenting on our Instagram, or taking the time to read this newsletter — the list of ways we feel your love goes on, and we are so grateful for everything you do for us. As a senior, I can’t help but reflect on all the things Stanford Rowing has given me — confidence, sisters, structure, support, purpose. Even the hardest moments are cherished, because they represent the ‘why’. It is so special that we have such an amazing group of women, coaches, and supporters with whom we can do this and for whom we do this. I am so grateful for this team, for everyone reading this, and for the opportunities we have ahead of us this year. Please, come visit us on the West Coast, and join us out East, where we hope to retain our ACC and NCAA titles. Here’s to the new year and another year of SWC!
Cheers, Susie (Sooooz)
*We LOVE big wakes
