It isn’t uncommon for college rowers to find the sport later in life. It is exceptional, however, to reach the heights Cunningham has since graduating, particularly for someone who rowed for a varsity club team rather than a powerhouse NCAA Division 1 program.

Last month, Cunningham competed in several World Cup events in Italy and Switzerland as part of the U.S. National Team.

Fresh out of European waters, Cunningham is now preparing for the next challenge: Earning a spot in a Team USA boat for September’s World Championships in China. His ultimate goal? Winning gold at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“Paul Enquist, a Cougar Crew alum, won gold in 1984 at the L.A. Olympics,” Cunningham said. “Hopefully, I can come back and do the same as a Cougar Crew alum in a few years’ time.”

Charting a new course

Cunningham grew up in Western Washington, choosing WSU Pullman because it checked all of his boxes: a large university with a vibrant community and active Greek Life. His first year of college was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, sending him home to wrap up the spring semester online.

Amid the lockdowns and social distancing, Cunningham realized something was missing. A lifelong competitor who played football and ran track in high school, Cunningham wanted to be part of a team again.

Fortunately for Cunningham, a pair of prominent rowers had recently moved into his parent’s neighborhood: Anna and Bob Cummins. Both rowed at the University of Washington and went on to compete for their country, with Anna winning a silver medal at the 2004 games and gold in Beijing in 2008.

The couple encouraged Cunningham to pick up rowing, gifting him a used rowing machine to get started.

Cunningham joined Cougar Crew that fall. But COVID-era restrictions still affected the team, with practices happening on rowing machines behind the Student Recreation Center. While new members typically hit the water within a week of joining the team, Cunningham and his cohort had to wait several months to do so, Coach Peter Brevick recalled.

The first time the WSU team was able to compete on the water was far more intense than Cunningham had expected. Rowing is a unique sport, he said, given that athletes are so focused on their individual motion and performance but have to gel with their teammates and work together to achieve results. He likens rowing to golf, insofar as athletes are striving for mechanical perfection with each movement. But with rowing, it’s happening hundreds of times each race, and must be done in coordination with up to seven teammates.

During his final year at WSU, Cunningham and his teammates earned the Paul Enquist trophy as the top club team in the Pac-12 and finding success at the ACRA championships. He made the Pac-12 conference team as well as the ACRA all-American first team and faced a choice: Put the oar away and join the workforce or pursue his new passion.

“I had some conversations with people who told me I had skills and potential to keep going and potential to make the Under-23 national team, so I thought, you know what’ I’m going to give it a shot.”

Pursuing athletic excellence

It wasn’t the typical gap year for Cunningham after graduating from WSU. He moved to Philadelphia to join the Penn AC Rowing Association, which set him up to be able to work and train full time with the goal of making the national team.

Every winter, prospective rowers gather to set their best times and be ranked. That winter, Cunningham ranked in the middle of the pack, a strong result given his relative lack of experience, Cunningham’s coach told him. Most, if not all, of his peers had competed at powerhouse collegiate programs, with some even competing internationally in high school.

“Coming up in a club program, we had to do things like fundraising that other programs didn’t have to worry about,” Cunningham said.

In his pursuit of making the national team, Cunningham faced peers who had competed at powerhouse collegiate programs, with some even competing internationally in high school.

Aside from taking time out of the water to raise money for the team’s operation, its core is usually made up of athletes new to the sport. Though it is a strength and endurance sport that athletes can transition into later in life, it is still a highly technical endeavor where years of training and preparation are needed to reach the highest levels.

Although he missed out on making the U-23 team, he stuck with it and continued to improve, drawing the attention of U.S. Olympic rowing coaches and earning an invite to the 2024 selection camp. Cunningham impressed the coaches and while he wasn’t picked for the 2024 Olympics team he got invites to a prestigious race in England and then to Sarasota, Florida for a chance to train with the head of the USA National Team coach where his practice and commitment paid off.

Competing abroad

The weeks prior to last month’s World Cup were dominated by hours of team practice and weight room sessions. The positive feedback and encouragement he got from members of the WSU rowing community helped tremendously and continues to drive him, Cunningham said.

During the first leg of European racing, Cunningham competed in a two-man race as well as part of the inaugural Mixed 8 event, which sees four men and four women in each nation’s racing shell. His team took first in the latter event, edging out their German competitors by less than a half a second.

The second half of the World Cup took place in Lucerne, Switzerland, with Cunningham racing in a four-man and eight-man shell for Team USA. In the men’s quad sculls final, Cunningham and his teammates finished third, while the USA team placed fifth in the men’s eight final.

Cunningham’s goal in the coming weeks is to earn a spot on the quad scull boat for the World Championships in the fall. His former coach at WSU believes Cunningham’s competitive drive and willingness to learn will continue to carry him in his competitive pursuits.

“It’s really rare for someone to reach the level of success Cedar has, and for our guys its helped to validate all of the hard work they put in,” Brevick said. “Being able to see him succeed after putting in the hard work to succeed while he was here has been amazing.”