TACOMA, Wash. - Throughout the rest of the semester, GoLutes.com will profile the Pacific Lutheran University senior student-athletes involved in spring sports that had their seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today's installment features PLU women's rowing student-athlete Hannah McCullough.
 
Rowing shaped Hannah McCullough's college experience, even when she studied away in another country.
 
Her favorite rowing memories come from racing with her teammates, and feeling connected all the way through the finish line. One of those races was at the NCAA Division III Championships during her sophomore year, where the team qualified for the grand finals.
 
"You could legitimately feel every single one of us working so insanely hard for that win it was almost euphoric," McCullough said. "It was one of those moments where working super hard was 'easy' because we were all after the same goal, together."
 
Another highlight was as a first-year, beating Puget Sound and finishing second at the grand finals at the WIRA Championships.
 
McCullough is incredibly grateful for her relationships with her coaches and teammates, which she calls her biggest support system. She enjoyed being competitive with her teammates, and forming strong friendships.
 
"I have learned so much through both my coaches and teammates," McCullough said. ""I cannot explain with enough words how much they have impacted me and how much they mean to me."
 
When McCullough studied away in Scotland, she had the chance to row for the team at the University of Aberdeen. At Aberdeen, she was able to win a silver medal at the Scottish National Indoor Championships.
 

Hometown: Monument, Colo.

Highlights: 3-time NWC Champion 2-time NCAA Qualifier

A Kinesiology major with a concentration in pre-physical therapy, McCullough believes her dedication to rowing developed her character in many ways. Time management, hard work, and preparation transferred to her daily life as a Lute, and she has seen success because of it. 
 
McCullough is a student manager for the university catering, a founder of the Diversity in Sport club, and a member of the Kinesiologists of the Future club. An active leader across all of campus, McCullough has left a mark on PLU.
 
"Hannah has always been an incredibly hard worker and has always worked hard with a smile, making it contagious to her teammates," said Head Coach Andy Foltz.
 
"Hannah has been a consistently supportive teammate. She has juggled many things with her internships, study away, big weights in the weight room, and has always proven she can accept challenges. We're going to miss Hannah's grit and grace but she's become a giant that we will always look to as an example."
 
McCullough's time on the water saw the Lutes' win three Northwest Conference titles while she made two trips to the NCAA Championships as a member of the Lutes' 2V8+.
 
After graduation, McCullough plans to get her National Strength and Conditioning Certificate, and pursue higher education in physical therapy.