Dreaming Big

By: Justin Lafleur, Lehigh Sports Communications

"Don't be afraid to dream big."

That's the advice from former Lehigh rower and World Champion Cara Stawicki '05.

It's something Stawicki has learned over time. Once she graduated Lehigh, she realized the sky was the limit.

One of Stawicki's crowning achievements in the sport came last summer when she won gold at the World Rowing Championships in the women's lightweight pair.

It was a long road from where Stawicki started (as a walk-on at Lehigh) to the medal stand representing the United States at an international event.

"I was a swimmer in high school and very unfamiliar with rowing," said Stawicki. "One of my teammates on the swim team started rowing for the University of Miami. When she came home for winter break, she told me about the sport, which intrigued me."

During her senior year of high school, Stawicki attended the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia where she met Lehigh's novice women's coach.

"I decided I wanted to give it a try once I got to campus," she said.

Athletes in any sport, at any level, have a desire to push themselves to the limit – physically, mentally and emotionally. The same was true for Stawicki.

Pursuing rowing sure ended up being a good move.

Stawicki is from a large Lehigh family, with her father, husband, sister and brother-in-law all graduates of the university. Her husband Kyle Stawicki '05 was on the Lehigh baseball team while her father Glenn Skola was on Lehigh's 1977 national championship football team.

It's safe to say competition has always been in Cara's DNA.

"I'm competitive," she said. "I love pushing my body and as I gained more speed, I asked myself something…

"How far can I go?"

Looking back, the answer was pretty incredibly far.

Although Stawicki is "most accomplished" after college, it was Lehigh that helped set the foundation.
Cara Stawicki

"Lehigh is where I fell in love with the sport," she said. "I believe it was because we had such a strong team. There is nothing like getting into a boat with other women who you care about and respect, and pushing each other day after day after day."

Stawicki's foundation as a rower has included a number of important pillars along the way. Two are discipline and commitment.

"Through rowing, I learned a new level of hard work," she said.

How, you ask?

One instance immediately came to mind.

"Sophomore year was a big year for us. My eight won the Head of the Charles in the fall, which was unprecedented – the first in school history," said Stawicki. "We generally practiced in the morning, but Coach (Paul) Savell had us out on the water one evening as extra preparation for the race. I remember finishing a piece and feeling like we crushed it. The sun was setting and we were the only boat on the water.

"It felt so good, but Coach came up to us in his launch and told us four or five things he wanted to see us do better. I remember thinking: 'Can't you just tell us we did a good job?'"

At the time, Stawicki and her teammates were a little frustrated by the feedback, but it led to an important lesson that she would carry forward.

"That moment taught me to always keep pushing and keep striving for more."

That mentality has helped define Stawicki and helped lead her to where she is today, even if it wasn't always a straight path.

"After graduation, I took a job at an investment firm in one of the suburbs of Philadelphia," she said. "Once I took the job, I realized I could keep rowing and decided to move to the city instead of close to the office. I moved within walking distance of Boathouse Row. I joined a club program there.

"That started what would be considered my post-collegiate career."

Stawicki learned how to scull in 2006, a type of rowing that involves using two oars rather than one.

"It was my first time in a single, which was different than the sweep rowing we were doing in college," she said.

Stawicki used the first few years after graduation to learn the ins and outs of the rowing world.

"I had no idea how to make a national team or the process involved," she said. "I didn't even know it was possible."

As she progressed, Stawicki found herself racing in local regattas and eventually, the U.S. National Championships. She didn't race in 2009, 2010 or 2011 due to injuries, but she came back in 2012 better than ever.

"That's what I would consider a bit of a breakout year," said Stawicki. "I won national championships in the lightweight women's single and pair.

"Then in 2013, I started seriously pursuing the national team," Stawicki continued. "I attended selection camps in 2013 and 2014, starting competing at USRowing Team Trials in 2015, and made my first U.S. team in 2017 in the lightweight quad."

That set the stage for her world championship this past summer.

Remember Stawicki's advice of not being afraid to dream big?

It's exactly what she's done, and continues to do.

"In 2017, there was a specific moment when I remember going out to breakfast with my husband after a regatta and thinking the Olympics is a possibility," said Stawicki. "Maybe I could actually do this."

Stawicki was hoping to compete in Olympic Trials this year, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been postponed.

"Is the Olympics a goal? Yes, it's a goal, but there are so many things that have to fall into place," she said. "If I'm unable to compete in the Olympics, there's still the opportunity to make another U.S. National Team and race at world championships."

Today, rowing is an integral part of who Stawicki is, both competing herself and teaching the sport.

"Right now, I'm primarily focused on training," she said. "However, I also manage a personal blog, and have spent some time working with high school athletes on the mental skills side of the sport. One of my goals is to give back to other athletes, which I can do through my writing and sharing about my ups and downs in the sport."

Stawicki understands the importance of the mental aspect of sports and its impact on success. She's fought through many mental hurdles, especially early in her career, to get where she is today.

"I love learning," said Stawicki. "I'm always trying to push my boundaries and grow, and I think that is part of why I've gravitated towards rowing. You can always make a small change to help the boat go faster. That type of thinking is why Margy Bertasi (my pair partner) and I were so successful this past summer.
Cara Stawicki

"Every practice, we got in the boat with a heightened level of intensity and focus. We were always looking to raise the level, whether by a little extra focus, a sharper catch or sharper finish."

While focusing on the small details has led to success, so has her mindset.

"Cara is very disciplined in executing her training plan and will do anything possible to stay on track and do the right thing for her progress," said Stawicki's current coach Guenter Beutter. "Setting a high goal is also very important to be successful; she has the right mindset to be successful.

"'Big dreams are necessary to reach your potential and win a world championship."

Stawicki is a world champion, but hasn't forgotten her roots. At Lehigh, she earned her undergraduate degree in political science and journalism in 2005 before earning a presidential scholarship and going onto graduate school for political science. She also volunteered as an assistant coach for the Mountain Hawks' novice men's crew team during her year in graduate school.

Today, Stawicki maintains a strong relationship with current head coach Brian Conley.

"I won't even know I'm on [Conley's] radar, then a random text will pop up and he'll say congrats or great job," she said. "I would say we have a strong relationship. I was back in October for Class Day, which was fun. It was the first time I was able to get back to the boathouse in quite a few years.

"I would love to be able to get back at least once a year, and also get out on the water with Coach Conley," she continued. "I do feel connected with Lehigh rowing and hope to increase my involvement with the team as my personal career winds down."

Even from afar, the present-day Mountain Hawks feel connected and inspired by Stawicki's success.

"Cara is a big inspiration to our team, whether she realizes it or not," said Conley. "She is truly committed to a goal, which had never been done before for the Lehigh women's team. We never had a female rower make the U.S. team. She did that. Then, she went bigger with winning gold. She will always be able to say she is a world champion rower and no one can take that away. She is living exactly what our team is striving to do."

As Conley continued, "Cara reminds our team that anything is possible if you surround yourself with the right people and you're willing to put in the work."

The story of Cara Stawicki is one worth celebrating. She's someone who found rowing at Lehigh and grew confident in her own abilities. That led to dreaming big and eventually, a world championship.

"Dreaming big can mean taking 10 seconds off your erg or winning a certain dual meet," said Stawicki. "It's going to mean something different for everybody. So often, we hold ourselves back and don't even realize it. When I look back on my career, I wish I believed in myself years earlier instead of constantly looking for outside validation. But developing self-trust and belief has been part of my journey and is now part of the message I pass on today."

"I've learned it's important to find people you trust, who will support you in the pursuit of your goals," Stawicki continued. "It has taken time, but I've built this tight network of people who have helped me learn to trust myself and fully believe in my ability to succeed.

"Nobody does it alone."

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Upcoming Event: Women's Rowing at Knecht Cup on April 11, 2026

Upcoming Event: Women's Rowing at Lake Wheeler Invite on April 24, 2026

Upcoming Event: Women's Rowing at Colgate on May 2, 2026

Upcoming Event: Women's Rowing versus Patriot League Championships on May 15, 2026

Completed Event: Women's Rowing at Drexel and George Washington on April 4, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Rowing versus Mountain Hawk Invite on March 28, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Rowing versus Class Day Regatta on November 1, 2025 ,

Completed Event: Women's Rowing at Head of the Schuylkill on October 25, 2025 ,

Completed Event: Women's Rowing at Head of the Charles on October 18, 2025 ,

Completed Event: Women's Rowing at Head of the Housatonic on October 11, 2025 ,

Completed Event: Women's Rowing versus Scrimmage on September 27, 2025 ,

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