On Her Mark

NBC Sports Boston

Host Hannah Donnelly sits down with athletes, fitness professionals, and women in and around sports blazing new trails in their fields for the next generation. You will learn what drives them on and off the field, key moments in their lives that changed their direction, their outside passions and more. Prepare to be inspired.

  1. 2d ago

    Two-Time World Champion Teal Cohen on LA28, Team Culture & Training

    She's a back-to-back World Champion! Teal Cohen and her women's four defended their gold medal in Amsterdam, setting a world record by beating the previous fastest time by almost 5 seconds! As a 7-time national team member and Olympian, Teal is no stranger to the big stage. This summer's win is fuel for even bigger dreams, including the LA28 Olympics. Teal grew up around the sport but didn't start until high school. After, she was drawn to the positive culture at the University of Washington, which happens to be one of the best rowing schools in the country. The intensity, camaraderie and culture of the sport continue to draw her in. She joined me at the Head Of The Charles Regatta to dive into:  The excitement of racing at HOCR alongside teammates from both the national team and the University of WashingtonWhat it takes to win back-to-back World Championship gold medals How she navigates setbacks and bounces back in sport What drew her to row at the University of Washington The unique challenges the Charles River course and how wind and weather can impact race day What a day in the life of training really looks like at the highest level How she likes to spend her time off the water Teal's standout experience at the Paris Olympics The buzz around LA28, including course adjustments, Long Beach location & increased visibility for the sport Follow Teal on social: @tealcohen   Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Two-Time World Champion Teal Cohen on LA28, Team Culture & Training
  2. 4d ago

    Chris Ernst on the 1976 Yale Rowing Protest and the Evolution of Women’s Rowing

    Whether she likes the title or not, Chris Ernst is a trailblazer in women's sports. As captain of the 1976 Yale women's rowing team, she led her teammates in protesting the unequal treatment they faced and demanding the protections and opportunities promised under Title IX. Chris and her teammates walked into the office of their assistant athletic director and read a 300-word statement after removing their sweatsuits to reveal "Title IX" written across their bodies. Soon, the world knew their story, and change began to follow. Chris joined me at the Head Of The Charles Regatta to dive in to:  The significance of the Head Of The Charles Regatta for the rowing community & its evolution over the years How she was first introduced to the sport & why she fell for it fast The secret quality of her first World Championship crew that empowered a team with little experience to earn a silver medal The catalyst for the 1976 Yale Women's Rowing Protest & aftermath Chris's response to young athletes thanking her for her remarkable contribution to advancing women's sports The lifelong lessons Chris took from the boat to business Chris's advice for young female athletes in today's world    Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Chris Ernst on the 1976 Yale Rowing Protest and the Evolution of Women’s Rowing
  3. Oct 22

    Olympic Rower Meghan O'Leary on an Unlikely Journey, Life After Competition & Building Women's Sports

    Before 2x Olympian, 5x World Cup medalist, and 2x World Championships medalist Meghan O'Leary picked up an oar, she was an accomplished 2-sport collegiate athlete (softball and volleyball) and building a promising media career at ESPN. Then, at 25, a Google search led her to rowing. The rest, as they say, is history. When she transitioned out of competition she explored some other passions before sport drew her back. Today, she is the founder of Triple Threat, owner of San Francisco Signal (LOVB), investor, consultant, and athlete advocate. She joined me at the Head Of The Charles Regatta to dive in to:  The continued growth of the Head Of The Charles Regatta & its positive impact on the sport, athletes & future sponsorship opportunities Meghan's unconventional path in rowing to live her childhood dream of becoming an Olympian How the transition away from elite competition lead her to finding a greater purpose in sportWhy she chooses to invest in women's sports, specifically LOVB as an owner of the San Francisco Signal The value of personal brands for athletes Why Meghan thinks volleyball (LOVB) is the next professional sports league to grow at a meteoric rate The impact LA28 can have on the US sports landscapeWhy creating a good culture within a program is imperative for growth -- as a team, as a sport, and as an organization Lessons from rowing that continue to guide Meghan's work and mindset in both her professional and personal lives Follow Meaghan on social: @meghanoleary1  Learn more about Triple Threat: triplethreat.co   Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Olympic Rower Meghan O'Leary on an Unlikely Journey, Life After Competition & Building Women's Sports
  4. Oct 1

    The Gritty & Unglamorous Climb: Emily Harrington Talks Record-Breaking El Cap Free Climb, Risk & Motherhood

    Emily Harrington has done what very few people who ever dream to do: free climb "Golden Gate" on El Capitan in under 24 hours. When she reached the summit in 2020, she became the first woman and fourth person ever to complete the route in under a day. A professional rock climber and 5-time national champion, Emily has also summited Mount Everest and joined an expedition to ascend an unclimbed mountain in Myanmar. Free climbing El Cap was always on her list, but it was far from easy. The gritty, challenging, and unglamorous journey was captured in Netflix's feature documentary "Girl Climber." Today we dive in to:  Mindset training that helped prepare her for this big climb and climbing in general Emily's introduction to the sport in Colorado with her dad The spectrum of risk -- how to measure & qualify it Learning to love failure Overcoming injury in training for the "Golden Gate" free climb Feeling "unready" for motherhood but wanting to fulfil the dream Adjusting to new chapters of life and pursuing new interests "Girl Climber" is streaming on Netflix now: watch here  Follow Emily Harrington on social: @emilyaharrington  Subscribe to Emily's family adventures on YouTube: DangerStikTV Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    The Gritty & Unglamorous Climb: Emily Harrington Talks Record-Breaking El Cap Free Climb, Risk & Motherhood
  5. Sep 8

    Breakout Ice Dance Star Emilea Zingas on Successful Season, Working with a Sports Pscyh & Taking Risks

    There's only one way to describe the success of Emilea Zingas and Zadym Kolesnik's 2026 season: METEORIC. Four years ago, they started skating together and immediately clicked. Now, they are the top ice dance duo in America. Just this year they placed fifth at the Milan Olympics, earned bronze at ISU Figure Skating World Championships just weeks later, and a gold at ISU Figure Skating Four Continents Championships before that! They simply love of skating together, taking risks, and chasing big dreams. Emilea thought she would be coming to Boston to attend university, now she's here as an Olympian chasing gold. Today we dive into:  Her reflections & reactions to their breakout season and rise to top American ice dance pair Why she fell in love with the sports as a kid Emilea's reluctance to ice dance & the realization that changed everything   How coaching has altered her perspective on competition Power of working with a sports psychologist to get an advantage over competitors Why her relationship off the ice with Vadym helps their relationship on the ice The strong role family has played in their success Emilea's definition of success & her pride in taking the risk to chase it Preview of this season's program with a BOLD music choice Emilea's interests away from the rink Follow Emilea on social: @emileazingas   Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Breakout Ice Dance Star Emilea Zingas on Successful Season, Working with a Sports Pscyh & Taking Risks
  6. Sep 1

    From Boston College to Boston Guard: Shea Dolce on Pressure, the WLL & Winning a World Championship

    2026 has been a huge year for Shea Dolce. First, the Connecticut native wrapped up a stellar lacrosse career at Boston College. Then, she was selected second overall in the Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) Draft to the Boston Guard, won gold with Team USA at the World Lacrosse Women's Championships, named 'Player of the Game,' and scored a coaching gig at Dartmouth College! Shea is one of the best goalies in the sport -- she plays with precision and joy. She was hooked from the jump and has been chasing success ever since. Today we dive into:  Winning gold at the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship -- the team, the environment, and what the experience meant to her Privilege of continuing her playing career with the Boston Guard in an "electric, die-hard (sports) city" How the Boston College Women's Lacrosse Program has created such a special culture on and off the field  Excitement around WLL and Shea's hopes and predictions for the future  Why coaching at Dartmouth is an exciting opportunity to push the game forward and give back  Shea's unconventional introduction to the goalie position & special connection with her coach  The superstitions she's dropped to become more flexible for the WLL schedule and which she cannot let go  Follow Shea on social media: @sbdolce Follow the Boston Guard on social: @wllguard  Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    From Boston College to Boston Guard: Shea Dolce on Pressure, the WLL & Winning a World Championship
  7. Aug 25

    A World Champion’s Perspective: Courtney Taylor Talks WLL, Box Lacrosse, Boston Pride & Future of the Game

    After 4 years at Temple University, and a final year of eligibility at Boston College, defender Courtney Taylor wasn't ready to say goodbye to lacrosse, so, she found ways to keep playing. Courtney played three years with Athletes Unlimited, went on to bring home a gold medal for Team USA at the World Lacrosse Box Championships in 2024, and just wrapped up her second year with the Boston Guard in the Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL). Today we dive into:  Settling into year 2 with the Boston Guard in a city-based league What attracted her to Boston College (and the lacrosse program) for her master's degree How her lifelong competitiveness prepared her to chase lacrosse at the highest level What preparation looked like to play a key role in becoming the inaugural box lacrosse world champions The differences between box and field lacrosse (including training!) What a day-in-the-life looks like as she balances her corporate and athletics careers How shifting her mindset from "I have to" to "I get to" has helped her chase big dreams Predictions for what the league and sport will look like in 5 years Follow along with Courtney on social: @courtneyy.taylorrr Follow along with the Boston Guard on social: @wllguard Learn more about the WLL: thewll.com Follow along with Hannah on social: @_hannah.donnelly To watch the episodes: NBC Sports Boston YouTube Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    A World Champion’s Perspective: Courtney Taylor Talks WLL, Box Lacrosse, Boston Pride & Future of the Game
4.8
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Host Hannah Donnelly sits down with athletes, fitness professionals, and women in and around sports blazing new trails in their fields for the next generation. You will learn what drives them on and off the field, key moments in their lives that changed their direction, their outside passions and more. Prepare to be inspired.

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