The Irish pulled out three wins in their final non-conference regatta against two highly ranked West Coast teams in Stanford and USC.
Facing off against teams considered as rivals in other sports, Notre Dame found success in the varsity four, which won both races against the Cardinal and Trojans.
The Irish didn't have the same success in the larger boat races. While they finished within 12 seconds of the winner in each race, the varsity eight did not secure a win. The second varsity eight lost in their morning race to USC, but bounced back with a win in their afternoon race against Stanford.
Irish junior Abby Meyers said the races were a big test for the Irish as their season winds to an end.
"I think it was a really good opportunity to race really fast teams," Meyers said. "USC is ranked fifth and Stanford is ranked 12th nationally. So to be able pull out wins and keep up with teams like that is really important."
With the Irish coming close in each of their races, it is a good sign for their progress looking forward.
"It's a huge deal, because to a lot of people, we might seem slower than other teams," Meyers said. "But these races proved that we're something to watch out for."
Meyers thinks this will provide confidence and momentum going into the Big East Invitational.
"These races proved that we can hold our own against top teams," Meyers said. "I think knowing that, we can do well in the Big East."
The Irish finish their regular season in the Big East Invitational this upcoming weekend in Indianapolis.
Contact Ernst Cleofe at ecleofe@nd.edu
