Sterling High School senior Natalie Eddinger recently verbally committed to the University of Iowa to compete in division one rowing. Eddinger got a scholarship for women’s rowing and verbally committed in August 2024.
Over the past four years, Eddinger has played volleyball and basketball. Eddinger had never rowed before getting this offer. Head basketball coach Taylor Jackson said, “I think it is a great opportunity for Natalie to further her education and get to do something new in athletics.”
Rowing wasn’t even on Eddinger’s radar but a dentist appointment changed her future.
Eddinger said, “I never expected to get the email I did after just a simple dentist appointment.”
While at the dentist, Eddinger was talking about how her dentist’s daughters went to school for rowing and that she would be a perfect fit for rowing. Eddinger got an email two weeks later from the University of Iowa rowing head coach and they started having conversation regularly.
Since communicating with the coach, Eddinger has gone to a camp and had her official visit. When going to these, she got to know the team and said, “I feel right at home. Everyone there is so welcoming.”
Rowing is a hard sport in endurance and upper body strength. When doing a sport like rowing, participants need to be able to communicate and have the endurance to support everyone. Eddinger said for her “cardio endurance is most important to me in the sport of rowing.”
Eddinger has always had an open mind on trying new things and doing a totally new sport to her was intriguing. Ever since she was a kid she has wanted to do things out of her comfort zone and make an impact on what she does. She feels that “at Iowa I can be myself and have people appreciate who I am.” This made Eddinger feel like her little kid’s dreams of trying something new come true.
Eddinger’s coaching staff at Iowa have made her feel super welcome. When going to a high school that doesn’t have the sport of rowing she wanted to make sure she had good coaching. “With such a high level program the coaching is even better and I am extremely excited to be a part of such a great program with excellent coaches,” Eddinger shared.
She is not only very excited about playing a division one sport in the Big ten but also very excited about the schooling she will get while being at Iowa. Going into a school that has both for her was huge.
“Knowing that Iowa has a good nursing program was huge for me,” said Eddinger.
While Eddinger has been an athlete for a long time, the opportunity to play a sport she has never done before at a high level is one that few get but she is eager to experience.
