Megan O’Donnell Selected as GEICO Alumni of the Month
General
Nova Southeastern Athletics would like to recognize former women’s rowing National Champion Megan O’Donnell as its January 2020 GEICO Alumni of the Month.
A 2015 graduate in Exercise and Sport Science, O’Donnell has transferred her passion fostered at NSU for the sport of rowing into a career, currently serving as the events coordinator at Nathan Benderson Park, a world class rowing venue in Sarasota, Fla.
O’Donnell was a four-sport athlete in high school (soccer, volleyball, lacrosse and flag football) but arrived at NSU without any experience in the boat. After getting recruited to be a member of the Sharks rowing team, the native of Lake Worth, Fla. immediately began to fall in love with the sport.
“Rowing is a sport unlike anything I’ve ever done. The teamwork, adversity and hard work the sport entails is nothing that I ever would’ve imagined it would be,” said O’Donnell.
The decision to pursue the sport led to an extremely successful career as a student-athlete at NSU for O’Donnell. After an Sunshine State Conference All-Freshman Team selection in her debut season, O’Donnell and her teammates not only took home the SSC Championship, but made school history in capturing the 2013 NCAA DII Rowing National Championship during her sophomore campaign. The National Championship was the first for any rowing program in the SSC and the South Region, while the Sharks V4 boat never lost to a Division II institution that entire season with O’Donnell in the boat.
Heading into her junior season, the upperclassman was named Captain of the NSU rowing team, an honor she would hold for the remainder of her career. O’Donnell’s leadership paved the way to the Sharks’ sixth SSC Championship in 2014, garnering an All-SSC award and recognition as a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) All-American in the process, as her squad finished as runner-up at the 2014 NCAA DII Rowing National Championships.
“The constant battle against yourself and your teammates, the feeling you get in the boat when everyone is driving the boat together and the bond I have created with my teammates will stick with me forever,” added O’Donnell. “I have been grateful for everything the sport and NSU has done for me on an emotional and physical level. It has pushed me to limits I didn’t think were possible for myself and my team. The sport has also taught me to be a morning person, which I still am to this day.”
While O’Donnell enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in the sport, she also excelled in the classroom. The two time SSC Honor Roll award winner (2012, 2014), also received the Directors List Honor Roll in 2013 and 2014, as well as Dean’s List honors in 2015 to cap her storied career. O’Donnell also held an executive board position on the NSU’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee from 2013-2015, further boosting her experience as a Shark beyond the waters.
After graduation, O’Donnell wasn’t ready to give up the sport she love, prompting her into a graduate assistant position as a rowing coach at Clemson. After receiving a double-masters from Clemson in Athletic Leadership and Youth Development Leadership, she decided to move on from coaching and still pursue her love for the sport – working as the event coordinator at Nathan Benderson Park.
In her current position, she coordinates all the rowing teams that train at the park, which is home to the NCAA National Championship, various conference and rowing association championships, Olympic Trials, and World Championships. O’Donnell manages and operates the logistics of the rowing events at the park. The 2020 SSC Championships will once again take place at the world class venue on Apr. 24 and this year Sharks already have their eye on that competition date.
“It is always great to see Nova Southeastern University’s women’s rowing team every year, providing a great opportunity to catch up with the coaches and get to know the new members of the team,” mentioned O’Donnell.
“I attribute her success at NSU to Coach John Gartin’s ability to select an out-of-sport athlete that fit his mold in terms of physical talent, mental toughness, focus and athleticism,” current Sharks head coach Devin Fay said. “Gartin also recruited athletes who were good individuals in addition to these traits, leading to a perfect match with O’Donnell.”
In terms of stats, O’Donnell currently holds the third fastest 2K in program history and three top-five National Championship finishes, including a 2013 national title, 2014 runner-up and a fifth-place result in 2015.
“In terms of someone who competed at a national level throughout her time at NSU, you would be hard pressed to find a more decorated athlete in the sport, all of which would have come from that same championship era as O’Donnell,” added Fay. “I only had the opportunity to coach her one season as an assistant in her senior year, but she was someone who really put the team first and she was a pleasure to work with because of her competitive mindset. I just wish I had more time to work with her on the squad, but we are really proud to call her an alumna of our team because of the way she helped shape our team and all of her athletic accomplishments.”