“You would never know everything she has done,” says son Matt O’Leary, a sophomore on the men’s lightweight team. “She doesn’t hang up her medals or brag about it; she is incredibly humble.”

For co-captain Olivia Coffey, O’Leary played a key role in her decision to come to Harvard.

“She has this energy about her that is so warm and loving but yet at the same time very competitive,” Coffey says. “She cares just as much about how we develop as people as how we develop on the water. And everyone around her just wants to compete to the best of their abilities.”

“She’s the best of the best,” fellow co-captain Rachel Rauh concurs. “Everyone from day one completely believes in her and her coaching style.”

And to O’Leary, everyone has the capability of being the best they can be, no matter what path one takes.

“Winning is not an easy thing to do, but that’s our goal every year,” O’Leary says. “More than that though, it is to be as successful as we can be. That’s what life is all about: making the boat in your lane go as fast as it can.”