Athlete of the Week: Zoë Sudduth

Senior Zoë Sudduth’s face is drawn in concentration as she and her fellow teammates brace for the final ten strokes. A few seconds later, boat one glides past the finish line, and Exeter girls’ crew secures its second consecutive victory at Interschols. Sudduth, an exceptional rower and captain, was vital in leading the team to victory last year. She continues to be a valuable member of both girls’ varsity crew and the Exeter community, renowned for her compassionate personality, amazing leadership and strong mindset both in and out of class.

When Sudduth arrived at the Academy as a prep, she had little crew experience. Her parents had been rowers, but had not pushed her to start the sport until the end of her middle school career. Despite the late start, Sudduth, during her prep year, placed into the team’s third boat, which ended up running through the season undefeated. By lower year, she had moved up to the first boat and has remained there ever since.

Sudduth most enjoys the competitive nature of the sport and simply stated that she “liked the feeling of winning.” In addition, she also loves the “feeling of the boat,” and the “great group of girls.” As a co-captain with senior Jeanne Olivier, Sudduth helps build the team, maintain good team spirit and keep everyone motivated.

“Zoë always reminded me to focus on my happiness: reminding me to work hard and to make sure I slept. She taught me how to be happy on Exeter’s campus, and for that, I must thank her.”

Sudduth’s athleticism is not the only thing that stands out; her friends and teammates have benefitted from her upbeat personality and unstoppable drive.

Upper Ashley Baxter, a close friend and teammate, reaffirmed that fact and explained how Sudduth has helped her both in and out of the boathouse. “In the boathouse she has helped me improve as a coxswain, giving me tips and answering my questions,” Baxter said. “But more importantly, Zoë has taught me a lot about living on Exeter’s campus and being my healthiest self. She has taught me how to be healthy by prioritizing my well being and mental health.”

“Zoë always reminded me to focus on my happiness: reminding me to work hard and to make sure I slept. She taught me how to be happy on Exeter’s campus, and for that, I must thank her,” Baxter added.

Upper Amelia Stucke echoed Baxter's sentiments. “As a fellow Dunbabe, I have often gone to her for help with everything from Chemistry homework to suggestions for my 2k split,” Stucke said. “She is always there to listen, and she makes sure to answer every question I have. I have been on Zoë’s boat for two years now, and she has an incredible stroke, and been a strong leader.”

As a captain, Sudduth has contributed much to the team. According to Baxter, she gives genuine, caring and varied advice that ranges from “smile!” to “make sure to fit in extra workouts.”

Baxter commented on Sudduth’s leadership. “In a competitive sport, teammates are forced to compete, but Zoë never forgets that we are one team that needs to work together in order to win and leads by example with her good attitude and fun spirit.”

She continued and explained more about the impact Sudduth had on the team. “Zoë is an incredible athlete. With not only amazing strength, but also extensive knowledge of the sport, Zoë pushes all of us to do our best every day,” Baxter said. “She doesn’t just keep developing as an athlete on her own: she instead continues to help the team grow, helping her teammates improve.”

To complement Sudduth’s amazing character as both a leader and an athlete, Sudduth possesses an uncanny ability to create and maintain friendships. For senior Sophia Collis, it is Sudduth who has made her experience at Exeter simply the most “unique, interesting and valuable”.

When Collis met Sudduth, she didn’t know if they would be good friends. They differed in things they did on campus and in personalities. “She is so passionate about her work. She makes you want to succeed and strive as well,” Collis said. “I’m always kind of a slacker, but she’s the more go-go-go kind of person. She’s also really thoughtful.”

As time passed, Collis and Sudduth and Sudduth and has since labeled her as a role model for other rowers. “She’s a very caring friend, she has great listening abilities,” Collis said. “She’s always there for you. She’s very hard working in everything she does, in and out of classroom. She’s always giving great advice. She’s great, she’s nice, she’s funny and she’s compassionate.”

Baxter described Sudduth’s happiness as “infectious.”

“On the path or across dining hall, Zoë’s bright smile is hard to miss. Her smile quickly leads to a laugh, and before you know it, you’re laughing too,” Baxter said.

“Your health and well-being is always her priority: she looks out for you not only as a friend, but as a teammate,” Baxter continued.

Last year, the girls’ crew team found great success on the water. With Sudduth, boat one went undefeated, and ultimately won Club Nationals. In addition to that, boat one has won resounding victories at Interschols for the past two years.

This year, the team has struggled more than usual. Sudduth reflected on the team’s performance. “[It’s] sort of a rebuilding year, sort of a rough season. But we have a lot of potential and a lot of younger people,” she said.

“We got on the water really late, which hurt our development,” Sudduth added, attributing the lack of training to the brutal weather of the previous winter. “But we are definitely getting better. We are really excited to see how it turns out at Interschols.”

Sudduth will continue to row this summer, and will represent the Princeton University girls’ crew team this fall.