Dear Princeton: Molly Milligan
4/16/2020
Dear Princeton...
I still remember my first visit to Princeton’s campus when I made the trip to New Jersey for my recruiting visit. I remember driving over the Washington Street bridge and being greeted by the boathouse all lit up at night.
As it turns out, I only thought that September weekend was my first visit.
Sometime in the Fall of 2016 during my first semester at Princeton, I got a package in the mail from my aunt. I was excited to unwrap some snacks or Halloween candy, but something else caught my eye. It was a tiny framed picture of me, my mom, my sister, my two cousins, and my two aunts in front of Nassau Hall (We had come to the East Coast to attend a family wedding). In it, I’m a distracted nine-year-old who isn’t even looking at the camera.
My Princeton journey began much earlier than I had suspected; and today, I know this a journey that I never want to end.
Like student-athletes across the country, especially other seniors, I am devastated by the fact that I will not get to compete with my teammates this spring. At the same time, I understand and fully support the decision made by both the Ivy League and the NCAA to cancel all spring sports. Something unprecedented has been thrust upon us, and ours is just one of the necessary sacrifices that will help protect the health and safety of the global community.
My four years on campus have exceeded all of the sky-high expectations I had about what college would be like. For that, I owe most everything to Princeton Open Women’s Rowing.
As a freshman, I felt so lucky to be immediately welcomed into a group of 45 incredible, strong, and relentless women. The community I found at the boathouse is a community I feel privileged to be a part of for the rest of my life. Adjusting to a rigorous new routine in the classroom and on the water was a challenge greatly eased by the support of my teammates. Racing down the course in a fancy yellow Empacher was icing on the cake.
As a sophomore, I was excited to work hard and push myself academically and athletically. I was so proud to earn a seat in the First Varsity Eight, and even prouder to work hard enough to be rewarded with the joy of winning an Ivy League Championship. As soon as I had that gold medal draped around my neck, I knew that was a feeling I wanted to have again.
As a junior, things didn’t quite go as planned. An injury kept me out the boat for three weeks in the middle of our season. Pedaling on the bike upstairs in the boathouse, I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing out. As soon as I returned to racing, I was determined to have an impact on the team. I never doubted that we could win an Ivy title in the Second Varsity Eight, and on May 19, 2019, we were part of a historic showing for Princeton.
I did not know that would be my last chance to race for a gold with the Princeton “P” on my chest. Still, I am grateful for each of the opportunities I did have, and that I capitalized when given the chance.
For giving me every tool to find success at Princeton, I would like to thank Lori Dauphiny. Your love for the sport of rowing inspired me to work my hardest every day. Thank you for pushing me to improve and for supporting me as an individual. You are the most significant reason why the women’s rowing program at Princeton has found such great success.
I would also like to thank everyone else who has played a role in my Princeton journey. From preceptors and professors, to athletic trainers and assistant coaches, to faculty fellows and junior paper advisors, thank you for helping me achieve my academic and athletic goals.
I would not have such positive memories of competing for Princeton if it weren’t for the many generous alumni who continue to support Princeton Rowing and the Athletics Department. I would especially like to thank Gary Walters ’67, who I got to know while writing my senior thesis, for his belief in the power of education through athletics. Nothing compares to the experience of being a Princeton student-athlete.
Finally, I would like to give a shout-out to my best friends and teammates. I have had the most incredible four years thanks to your commitment to our team. I feel so lucky to be a part of “WCrew” for the rest of my life.
Thank you, Princeton, and Go Tigers!
Molly Milligan ’20
