It was never something they planned on doing. It just happened one day and it clicked. A year later they were hoping to continue their passion in college.

This past month, seniors Haley Tong and Nina Segedin verbally committed to the University of California, Los Angeles for division one women’s rowing.

Segedin and Tong both targeted UCLA as their first choice back in the spring of junior year.

Tong will be attending UCLA as a coxswain, the director of the boat, and Segedin as a 3-seat, who is the third person from the back of the boat, with Amy Fuller Kearney as head coach.

Though each had offers from other schools, it was easy for both to narrow their sights down to UCLA. Tong also received offers from University of Southern California and University of San Diego, but UCLA was her top choice.

“I loved the school environment when I visited along with the school’s academic rigor. I also wanted to stay in California, so it ended up being a great fit,” Tong said.

Segedin had similar reasons for pinning UCLA as her first choice early in the recruiting process. She said she was drawn to the academic rigor and overall school environment at UCLA.

Currently, Segedin and Tong are in the same boat at the Marin Rowing Association. If they end up in the same boat at UCLA, their previous experience rowing will lead to strong chemistry, according to Tong. Tong said she does not know yet what boat she will be in because there are multiple.

Segedin and Tong each started their rowing career for different reasons, but both quickly fell in love with the sport.

Tong started rowing her freshman year while Segedin started during her sophomore year––both were on the novice team. After that, they moved on to JV, and then Varsity, eventually ending up in the same boat.

“I used to be a gymnast, so after I stopped I needed a new sport to do. I thought I would give it a try. Also a lot of my friends did it,” Segedin said.

Both Segedin and Tong fell in love with the sport right away.

“I love being a part of something where people are so passionate about what they do and I enjoy watching people improve. It’s a lot to juggle, but I love it,” Tong said.

Segedin said Marin Rowing has made her feel part of a community outside of school and that it has given her friends with similar passions. Segedin and Tong’s passions for rowing quickly transitioned to wanting to row in college.

According to both, the UCLA coach never attended any of their races. Tong and Segedin each sent emails to the rowing recruiting director with a resume, and Tong had to send a recording of herself during a race because she is a coxswain.

“It’s particularly hard to choose a coxswain. The coaches are looking for those with the good motivation and intelligence,” Tong said.

The Marin Rowing Association is highly regarded in the rowing world, which was a big factor in the recruiting process, according to Segedin.

The UCLA recruiting coach attended a Marin Rowing Practice to evaluate Segedin and Tong. After, they both talked to the coach, furthering the process, and a few months two verbal commitments were made.

Segedin also visited the campus to meet with the coach and academic advisor of the team before committing.

Tong said it will be hard for to make an impact on the boat because she faces more competition upon entering UCLA due to her place in the boat.

Since a coxswain dropped out last year the coach has taken more coxswains this year. This will provide for more competition for particular boats, according to Tong.

Overall, Segedin and Tong are tremendously excited.

“I am really looking forward to meeting all the other athletes and students. It seems like such an interesting community,” Tong said.

“I feel so relieved now,” Segedin said. “At first, upon talking with the coach, I thought I had a pretty good chance of getting in, but I wasn’t totally sure, so it was definitely stressful to wait.”

Before they go off to UCLA in the fall of 2016 they will be finish off the season at Marin Rowing, attending several races.

Their next race, Head of the Port, will be in Sacramento on October 11. Last year they attended the same race and placed on the podium. Tong says she hopes they will replicate their success in the upcoming race.

“We are a stronger and faster boat and usually place well in all our races. We are training hard and looking to get on the podium” Tong said.

Our biggest race of the season is the Head of the Charles Regatta, a two-day event that takes place in Boston on October 18.

This is one of the largest races. The event attracts over 11,000 athletes and 400,000 spectators.

“I think overall we have been training really hard and we have a strong team to begin with, so I think we will do really well,” Tong said.

The varsity boat, Tong and Segedin’s boat, will be racing against teams from all over the United States.

Before their last season at the Marin Rowing Association nears an end both hope to make the best of it.

“I just want to finish out the season with my best friends and the some of hardest workers I know,” Segedin said.

Tong is looking to finish out the season with the big races in the spring season before she heads off.

Tong is excited for the spring season because the spring is the team’s sprint season and the biggest race is Youth Nationals which is in June.