STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford lightweight rowing gained valuable racing experience for its promising young roster, finishing sixth in the Commissioner’s Cup standings in year two under associate head coach Lizzy Houston.
Stanford’s IRA Championship lineups featured 12 underclassmen, setting a strong foundation for the future of the Cardinal lights.
REGULAR SEASON RECAP
Stanford opened its season in November at the Head of the Charles in Boston, where the Cardinal V8+ boat finished seventh in the field with a time of 17:12.328 in the Cardinal’s lone fall competition.
In the spring, the Cardinal competed against some of the nation’s top lightweight programs, including Princeton, Wisconsin, and Boston. One of the key highlights of the spring slate came on April 19, when the varsity eight crew defeated the Badgers by more than 17 seconds on home water.
The Cardinal returned to the Northeast in May to compete at Women's Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond, earning three top-five finishes. The varsity eight placed fourth with a time of 7:00.85, finishing behind Princeton, Radcliffe, and Boston. Meanwhile, Stanford's double and varsity four crews each turned in fifth-place efforts.
At the IRA Championships, the double sculls duo of Annie Cloud and Channing Brook posted Stanford’s top finish of the regatta with a fourth-place time of 7:49.47. The varsity four followed with a seventh-place finish in 7:41.92, while the varsity eight clocked a 6:41.16 to take sixth.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Following the season, eight Cardinal rowers were named CRCA Scholar-Athletes by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association, recognizing their success both on the water and in the classroom.
To qualify, athletes must be at least sophomores, compete in 75 percent of their team's races in an IRA-classified boat, and maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Stanford’s 2024-25 honorees included Charlotte Burnham, Hannah Justicz, Lauren Koester, Sophie Mulins, Grace Padula, Sophia Ramaraju, Elle Rosenfeld, and Jordan Stock.
Additionally, Ramaraju was recognized prior to the spring season as a CRCA Lightweight Rower to Watch.
LUWIS JOINS LIGHTS STAFF
Stanford’s coaching staff received a boost prior to the 2024-25 season with the addition of Sophia Luwis, who arrived on The Farm with a stellar rowing resume,
Luwis most recently serving as a lightweight alternate for team USA's rowing squad at the Paris Olympics. Her team USA experience also includes competing in the 4X in 2022, before securing gold and silver in the lightweight 1X at World Cup II and III, respectively.
Prior to joining the Stanford staff, Luwis' most recent coaching experience came at Lower Merion High School in Conshohocken, Penn., where she coached in the midst of her own training