Making Team USA: Racing on the National Team

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What do all the rowers in the gold medal-winning four have in common? They began racing on the national team when they were in high school. Many of this year’s Olympians raced together through the USRowing’s Pathways, beginning on the U19 team and carrying on through U23 and the senior national team.

Nick Mead and Michael Grady competed on the 2013 U19 team together, while Liam Corrigan and Justin Best raced on the 2015 team.18 of this year's Olympians raced on the U19 team, while 28 of them raced on the U23 team. Regina Salmons raked in the golds, winning in both the U23 women’s four and eight in 2016. The 2018 U23 men’s eight (pictured above) featured four 2024 Olympic medalists, Rielly Milne, Michael Grady, Justin Best, and Chris Carlson.

The U19 team’s aim is to teach athletes how to compete at the international level while learning from some of the best coaches in the country. Ben Davison pulled double duty in 2014, racing in the U19 and U23 single sculls. Azja Czajkowski and Teal Cohen competed together in the U19 women’s eight in 2017. Clark Dean was able to make a name for himself as a high school rower in the men’s single. Dean started in the men’s quadruple sculls on the U19 team winning bronze in 2016. He made history the following two years winning the men’s single in 2017, the first U.S. male to win since 1967 and the first to win back-to-back.

While U19 and U23 is a great stepping stone for athletes on the senior national team, some of the most successful rowers started in college. Meghan Musnicki is one of the most decorated U.S. rowers of all time, and she began rowing in her career at St. Lawrence University. Charlotte Buck, stroke of the women’s eight, walked-on to the Columbia rowing team after learning how to row her senior year of high school.

The path to the Olympics may look different for each rower, but they all share the same traits: tenacity, strength and diligence.

U19

Justin Best, 2015

Oliver Bub, 2015

Teal Cohen, 2017

Peter Chatain, 2017

Claire Collins, 2012-2014

Liam Corrigan, 2014-2015

Azja Czajkowski 2017-2018

Ben Davison 2013-2014

Clark Dean, 2016-2018

Emily Delleman, 2015-2016