The University of Washington’s women’s rowing program is set to kick off its season with a formidable influx of talent, introducing a staggering 54 new rowers at the annual Class Day Regatta. This time-honored tradition,dating back to 1901,not only marks the season’s commencement but also serves as the official unveiling of the team’s fresh faces to the loyal supporters and passionate fans of husky rowing.

This year’s incoming class is particularly noteworthy, distinguished by both its sheer size and the diverse backgrounds of its members. The blend of seasoned transfers and promising freshmen promises to inject a new level of competition and depth into an already esteemed program.

Yasmin Farooq, the head coach of the UW women’s team, expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming season, emphasizing the program’s long-standing tradition of attracting remarkable student-athletes.

In the 50 years that Washington has had a varsity women’s rowing team, it’s always been about incredible student-athletes who are passionate about making boats go fast, who love pulling for one another and who are grateful to row in one of our sport’s moast sacred places.

Yasmin Farooq, UW Women’s Team Head Coach

Farooq highlighted the varied paths that lead these athletes to Washington, from those taking their first strokes to seasoned recruits from national teams.

Some oarswomen take their very first strokes here. Some learn in area programs. Some are top recruits from national teams. It may have a taken a few folks a little longer to find us, but they’re here now, and together the group is building speed and excited for the season. class Day is the BEST way to kick it all off. This may be the most competitive one ever.

Yasmin Farooq, UW Women’s Team Head Coach

The transfer portal Advantage

In the ever-evolving landscape of collegiate athletics, the transfer portal has become a significant factor, and the UW women’s rowing team has undoubtedly capitalized on this trend.The program has consistently benefited from the influx of talent through transfers, and the 2025 season appears to be no exception.

This year’s roster boasts an impressive 10 newcomers who have transferred to Washington from other colleges and universities, each bringing a unique set of skills and experiences to the team.

Six of these transfers hail from U.S. institutions, including sophomore niamh Comerford (London, England) and fifth-year athlete Megan Lee (Natick, Mass.), both arriving from Duke University. Comerford made an immediate impact as a freshman in the Blue Devils’ top crew,while Lee established herself as a varsity eight mainstay and earned All-American honors twice. Notably, Lee also spent the 2024 season at Cambridge University, where she stroked the women’s crew to victory in the prestigious Boat Race, a historic event steeped in tradition and rivalry akin to the Army-Navy game in the United States.

Sophie Houston (Sydney, Australia) brings a wealth of experience to the Huskies, having earned her bachelor’s degree from Yale University and rowed in the Bulldogs’ varsity eight at the NCAA Championships in 2024. Moreover, Houston is a World Rowing Under 23 gold medalist, a testament to her exceptional talent and dedication.

Helen Latting (Atlanta, Ga.) is another Ivy League addition to the team,having completed her degree at Columbia University. Her experience in the highly competitive Ivy League rowing scene will undoubtedly prove valuable to the Huskies.

Evan Park (Bend, Ore.) adds international pedigree to the roster, having won gold in the U.S. eight at the 2023 World Rowing Under 23 Championships, alongside fellow teammate Megan Lee. Park, who began her rowing career as a walk-on at Oregon State University, spent the past two years in the Beavers’ varsity eight, earning All-America and All-Pac-12 honors last spring.

Junior Sophie Suhinin (Adelaide, Australia) joins the Huskies after stroking Boston University’s varsity eight to a Patriot league championship in 2024, securing an NCAA berth in the process. Her leadership and experience in high-pressure situations will be a valuable asset to the team.

Rounding out the transfers from U.S. institutions is Marilou Duvernay-Tardif (St. Jean-Baptiste, Quebec), who initially enrolled at UW in 2020 before returning to Canada to study at l’Université de Montréal.Her journey back to Washington demonstrates her commitment to the program and her desire to contribute to its success.

In addition to these athletes, there are four transfers from overseas universities, further enriching the team’s diversity and experience.

Freshmen Bring Diverse Athletic Backgrounds

Complementing the seasoned transfers is a group of freshmen rowers. While many of the upperclassmen also participated in sports outside of rowing before and during high school, the following group of newcomers join the UW rowing team with little or no rowing experience. The Washington women’s program has a long history of walk-on rowers who not only excel at the collage level but who go on to row at the highest level of international competition.

Here are those UW freshmen, with the sports in which they specialized in high school: