row2k Starting Five: Molly Bruggeman – Olympic Games Reporting

Molly Bruggeman graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2014 and will be racing W8+ in the United States later this week at the Paris Olympics.

1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing training? Was there anything special about it?

My first rowing practice was a Learn to Row that I went to with my friend Julie. I think I was about 13 and all I really remember is being upset about how much my hands hurt and how sweaty I was. The main motivation behind it was that I was a taller than average eighth grader and some encouragement from family friends who were involved in the Dayton rowing community.

2. Was there a training, race or other event where you fell in love with the sport, or where you knew you might not be so bad at rowing? When you thought you might make the national team?

The first time I knew I wasn’t that bad at rowing was when I broke 8 minutes on my 2k erg at the Cincinnati Erg Sprints. I was a freshman in high school and had only been rowing full-time for a few months when I joined my older teammate for erg sprints and had no idea what I was getting into. It was all a whirlwind, but it was so encouraging to see how much faster I had gotten since I took my first strokes. 8 minutes doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but a 2k is always going to be tough no matter how fast you go – still the case now that I’ve even gone sub 6:40.

It wasn’t until I was invited to my first U23 selection camp after my sophomore year of college that a career on the national team seemed feasible. I knew I loved the sport and was motivated when I made my first U23 team and then two more teams, finishing my U23 career with two gold medals in the 8+ and 4-. I moved to Princeton after graduating in 2014 and the rest is history.

3. Best race/training, worst race/training?

row2k Starting Five: Molly Bruggeman

Linz in 2019

I can’t remember any specific practices because honestly they all go together well or badly. I would say my best race lately was the Spring Speed ​​​​Order with Regina Salmons in the 2- this year in Sarasota. Reg and I were also a strong combination in the fall but wanted to put in a strong race leading up to the selection camp. We had a strong start, leading up to the 1k of the race. Regina made a decision and we went for it, finishing in one of our best times around 7 minutes. I was really proud of the work we put in to make that performance happen.

Worst race/training: That’s a tough one. I try to ignore these things when they come.

4. What’s the best thing/something you’ve done in sports that no one knows about?

I would say this is something that not many people know about, but I got cut from the Junior National team in high school. It was actually the best thing for me, because first of all it made me angry; and secondly, it made me work harder. I started rowing more singles after that and it made me a better sweeper and I developed more boat feel.

5. What/most important advice do you have for young rowers?

The biggest piece of advice I would give is to play multiple sports in high school. I played volleyball in the fall and rowed in the spring and found a balance between the two. My body was a lot healthier for it. Don’t worry, you won’t fall behind, rowing takes a lot of patience and time to get better, but that doesn’t mean you have to row all the time, all year long. That, and make sure you enjoy it as much as possible.


Birthplace: Dayton, OH
Club membership: Princeton Training Center
Date of birth: June 19, 1992
Height: 1.80 m
Weight: 170 pounds
Bachelor education: Notre Dame, 2014
National teams: Eleven Under 23, 2013-14; Pan American Games, 2015; Seniors, 2016-19, 22-23; Olympic, 2020, 2024

International results: Finished third in the eight at the 2024 World Rowing Cup II… Finished fourth in the four at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II… Won gold in the four at the 2023 World Rowing Cup II… Finished fourth in the eight at the 2022 World Rowing Championships… Finished fifth in the coxed quadruple at the 2022 World Rowing Coastal Championships… Was a reserve at the 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo… Finished sixth in the four at the 2019 World Rowing Championships… Finished fourth in the four at the 2019 World Rowing Cup II… Finished fourth in the four at the 2019 World Rowing Cup I… Won gold in the four at the 2018 World Rowing Championships… Finished fourth in the pair at the 2018 World Rowing Cup III… Finished fourth in the four at the 2018 World Rowing Cup III… the 2017 World Rowing Cup III Rowing Championships…Was third in the eighth and fourth in the quadruple at the 2017 World Rowing Cup II…Was second in the quadruple at the 2016 World Rowing Championships…Won the deuce at the 2015 Pan American Games…Won the deuce and the eight at the 2014 World Rowing U23 Championships…Was sixth in the quadruple scull at the 2013 World Rowing U23 Championships…Was sixth in the quadruple scull at the 2012 World Rowing U23 Championships.

National results: Finished second in the pair at the 2023 USRowing National Selection Regatta… Finished second in the pair on the 2023 USRowing Winter Speed ​​Order… Finished third in the pair on the 2017 Spring Speed ​​Order 1… Won the pair at the 2015 Pan American Games Trials… Finished ninth in the eight at the 2014 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships… Finished sixth in the women’s eight championship race at the 2013 Head of the Charles… Finished 13th in the eight at the 2013 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships… Finished 16th in the varsity eight at the 2012 NCAA Women’s Rowing Championships… Finished second in the senior eight at the 2011 USRowing Club National Championships… Finished fifth in the coxed four at the 2011 Head of the Charles 2011… Finished sixth in the coxed four at the 2010 USRowing Youth National Championships… Finished fifth in the coxed four at the 2009 USRowing Youth National Championships… Finished fourth in the coxed four at the 2008 USRowing Youth National Championships.

Personal: Molly enjoys drinking coffee, playing Sudoku, sitting dogs in her spare time, hiking, and taking naps. She is an assistant rowing coach at the University of Minnesota. Molly has four nieces and nephews whom she loves unconditionally. Her favorite color is blue. Molly has two brothers, a sister, and two sisters-in-law who lovingly tolerate her when she has to train in the basement during Christmas break. Her parents are her biggest fans, and she is theirs. Molly’s mom and dad were the ones who encouraged her to come back to training and competing this year, and she is so glad she did. They have supported Molly through it all.

row2k Starting Five: Molly Bruggeman

World Cup II in 2024