Hanging on a wall inside the Washington State rowing office are photos of athletes who have made an impact on the program during the past two decades.

One of the photos is of the 2004 second varsity boat crew, a collection of athletes who made history with their achievements.

"A good surprise," rowing head coach Jane LaRiviere said of that crew. 

"Once they started racing, I knew they had a good vibe going," added LaRiviere, head coach of the rowing program since 2003. 

Standing at the far left in the photo is a rower who, though her time at WSU was brief, made a profound impact on the program and today is making an impact as an advocate for women's sports in her home country of the Czech Republic.

"She was a leader," LaRiviere said of Daniela Nachazelova. 

In December, Nachazelova reminisced about her time at WSU while at the airport in Washington, D.C., finishing attending events surrounding the Global Sports Mentoring Program.

Before arriving at WSU in 2003, Nachazelova had vast experience competing on a huge stage in lightweight women's single skulls at the World Rowing Championships.

Informed about WSU by a family acquaintance, Nachazelova formed an immediate connection with LaRiviere, and when she first stepped on the WSU campus, she knew it was a place like no other.

"It was love at first sight," she said. 

Nachazelova arrived at WSU in the fall of 2003 and immediately prepared to compete in the 2004 spring season.

Accustomed to rowing as a single, Nachazelova experienced an adjustment to a team environment.

"I came to Washington State as an international high-performance athlete," she said. "To me the performance was the key but then realized I was part of something bigger, meaning 40 other girls with different backgrounds and motivations, so I had to relearn how to be a teammate."

Nachazelova rowed as a member of the second varsity eight crew, which she described as an "incredible boat."

For LaRiviere, Nachazelova brought with her conviction that her team needed. 

"She worked very hard and her attention to detail was remarkable," LaRiviere remembered. "Her biggest impact on the team was giving them confidence every day in practice." 

"She built up their confidence and they bonded together," LaRiviere added. "They got more out of the collective because they were so bought in."

Nachazelova still remembers competing in the races with her teammates.

"We would start in the back and suddenly find ourselves," she said. "The inner strength of the crew will always come out. I had faith we would come together as a crew, and we always did."

The strength demonstrated by the crew equated to historic second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships followed by a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships, leading the team to a ninth nationally, which at the time was the best in program history.

Two years later, the 2006 team, with many members from the 2004 squad, finished fourth nationally.

Lariviere credits Nachazelova for setting a foundation for the program's ensuing success.

"The people behind her are the ones who formed the 2006 team," LaRiviere said. "She taught them a lot."  

Nachazelova time at WSU was brief. She left after the season and returned to competition in the Czech Republic where she won the U23 World Championship in the single.

Today, she is an advocate for women's sports in the Czech Republic and draws on her time at WSU in her advocacy.

"The sports culture in the United States is unique to my experience."

Nachazelova wrote a book, Women's Voices in Rowing, a collection of stories about female professional rowers, all who made an impact on her life.

"I wanted to interview my heroes," Nachazelova said, stating the mission of the book is to give a voice to the women in the sport and inspire the next generation of female rowers. "They were the ones telling me the struggles."

Nachazelova continues her advocacy for women's sports with her work at the Global Sports Mentoring Program and founding Czech Women in Sport, a nonprofit organization aimed at addressing the under representation of women in coaching and executive roles in Czech sports. 

"The country just at the beginning," she said, stating her mission is to have something similar to Title IX in the Czech Republic.

Nachazelova's advice to female athletes today?

"Know your rights as an athlete and keep educating yourself and stay curious about everything of what might interest you," she said. "You never know where the inspiration and connection might come from later on."

Nachazelova continues to draw inspiration from her time at WSU, an experience she carries with her today.

"It means everything," Nachazelova said of her scholarship at WSU. "I see it as an investment, and it was a huge investment. 

"The investment wasn't just one semester but for the rest of my life," she added. "I still value it and still trying to be the best Cougar I can be. 

"Whenever I see the logo or see someone say 'Go Cougs!' it brings me back to the campus to the time I was there. I was able to figure out who I was because everyone was so supportive. Being a Coug means I can be myself."