PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Windsyr Maughan arrived in Boston as a freshman at Northeastern University not knowing what her college career would become.
“I don’t think I could imagine my college career without it,” Maughan said. “I think looking back it feels like this is why I went to this school.”
Fast forward a few years and now she is an NCAA Elite 90 award recipient as a member of the school’s rowing team. Maughan didn’t know she won the award until she heard her name called during the award’s banquet Monday night in Ohio.
“It was crazy,” Maughan said. “Super exciting. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”
The prestigious award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s 90 championships. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA with her bachelor’s degree in environmental and sustainability science back in December 2023. Currently, she has a 4.0 GPA as a graduate student studying environmental science and policy. Maughan is the second Northeastern athlete to win the award, and the first ever athlete to win the award on the rowing team.
“I think it’s nice to be recognized for the academic aspect as well because it is a super intense sport.” Maughan said. “Not only in the physical aspect, but it’s early mornings, and it’s multiple times a week in snowy weather and rain and wind. I dedicate a lot of my time to this sport.”
It has been three years since Maughan was introduced to the sport. It all began with one conversation in the dorm elevator.
“I was riding the elevator down with this girl who was on the team,” Maughan said. “We started talking and I saw her rowing backpack and I asked about the team and she said that I was super tall and asked if I had done any other sports. She suggest that I contact the coaches.” Maughan continued, “I honestly hadn’t heard about rowing a ton beforehand. It sounded intriguing. Also my freshman year was a little bit like COVID year and it was hard to meet people and I was super eager to make friends and feel glad to be at the school and so it felt like a team was a good way to do that.”
That night Maughan emailed the coaches and walked on to the team the next day. Adjusting to the rigorous training schedule wasn’t as hard as she originally thought. She says it was similar to her days running cross country at Ponte Vedra High School.
“I think it actually helped get me back in a rhythm of what I was used to,” Maughan said.
While her college career is concluding, Maughan is hoping to qualify for the U23 World Competition in August and continue the sport that one girl in an elevator told her she should join.