Overview
Duke rowing has begun to blossom along with the cherry blossoms on campus. Starting the spring season strong with first-place finishes in all 10 of its races at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational, potential shines from this Blue Devil team.
Head coach Adrian Spracklan leads his first season with Duke after 32 years as the director of rowing at Mercyhurst University. Arriving in Durham, N.C., the Marlow, England native brings a fresh perspective on how to run his team: Amidst his goals of developing his rowers’ skills, Spracklan leads with the mindset that they are people first.
“You can be successful, you can be a tremendous student, and you can be a top-class, elite athlete,” Spracklen said. “I value them more as a person than a tremendous student or a tremendous athlete.”
Senior captains Mollie Nicol, Jane Atkeson and Audrey Kline contribute to the culture of development within the team. Nicol and Kline competed at the NCAA Championships to earn respective third- and fourth-place finishes in the C Final races. The experience and leadership of these captains and other seniors have contributed to the creation of a talented team united to dominate the waters this season.
“There's a vision and there's a plan,” said Spracklen. “If you follow the plan, you follow the vision, you buy into the vision and see where Duke can go in rowing, then great things are going to happen.”
New rowers to watch
Eight freshmen made their Spring regatta debut, and Spracklen was unable to highlight just one among the team of newcomers.
“It's not like having a Cooper Flagg that can change a game. We don’t have those in rowing,” Spracklen said. “You just want people that work really well together and bring out the best in the people around them.”
In his eyes, Duke achieves this by building a team greater than the sum of its parts. As the season progresses, Spracklen sees the depth as a key asset that will contribute to success. The fluidity the team warrants fosters adaptability and development, which will be crucial to postseason success.
Returning rowers to watch: Lina Mills, senior squad
Junior Lena Mills was nominated as Duke’s representative on the Preseason ACC Rowing Watchlist. The accolade follows a successful sophomore season concluded with a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) All-American honorable mention. Last season, Mills was a critical member of the Varsity Eight lineup, helping it clinch a fourth-place finish in the 2024 ACC Championships. Her success on the water and in the classroom, as a 2024 CRCA Scholar-Athlete, makes her a standout rower to watch.
Leadership is at the core of this team's success. Captains Nicol, Atkeson and Kline were credited by Spracklen to be critical contributors to the team’s development. Their experience and knowledge have been invaluable for mentoring the newcomers, teaching them what it means to be a Duke rower.
“They do a tremendous job of setting the tone and the culture,” Spracklen said. “When you have strong captains on a team, you know you’re going to have a good season.
Most anticipated matchup: Big Ten Invitational, April 18 and 19
The Blue Devils' midseason regatta puts the team face-to-face with an environment reflective of the NCAA Championships. Hosted in Sarasota, Fla., 11 Big Ten schools unite with 12 guest teams to compete in one of the most competitive regular-season matchups. A successful performance will be critical for Duke to be selected for the NCAA Rowing Championships.
Last year, the Blue Devils executed an impressive first-place finish and several second-place finishes during their races. In its 2025 performance, Duke hopes to improve upon that record. Notably, it faces four ACC teams — Clemson, Notre Dame, Miami and SMU — that it could encounter again in the ACC Championships.
The addition of California and Stanford to the ACC brings two schools with a collection of national championships to the conference. The Cardinal won the NCAA Championship most recently in 2023, clinching a runner-up last year; the Bears won their most recent championship in 2018. The addition of these dominant programs elevates the competition, making it an anticipated battle for the Blue Devils.
Best-case scenario
Spracklen is one newcomer of many to the program. Duke's roster boasts a depth with the potential to fuel upsets. It has the opportunity to challenge historic conference competitors Virginia and Syracuse while pushing new ACC additions Stanford and California. If they can execute a strong performance during the season and at the ACC championships, the Blue Devils can position themselves for an NCAA bid and a top-10 national finish.
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Worst-case scenario
The ACC welcomes rowing powerhouses Stanford and California, which may challenge Duke’s pursuit of a strong conference championship performance. Last season, the Blue Devils secured a third-place ACC finish and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Rowing Championships. With an even tougher field, another top-three finish will be a challenge, hindering the sights of conference dominance. Duke may face a 15th consecutive year of watching Virginia and Syracuse claim the conference championship — or, potentially, see an ACC newcomer snatch the title from under its feet.
Beats’ Predictions
Lucy Glynn: Fourth in the ACC, 12th at the NCAA Championships
Kate Reiniche: Second in the ACC, 14th at the NCAA Championships