As the U.S. Naval Academy enters the 50th year of women on the Yard, few stories better capture the determination, versatility, and leadership of that pioneering generation than that of Cheryl Dolyniuk Carlan, Class of 1985. A three-sport varsity athlete who earned an extraordinary 12 varsity letters in volleyball, swimming, and rowing, Carlan helped lay the foundation for women's athletics at Annapolis while simultaneously setting the standard for excellence across the Brigade.

Carlan's athletic journey began long before she arrived at the Naval Academy. "I started swimming when I was six and that was definitely my main sport," she recalled. 

In high school, she added volleyball to her repertoire, quickly developing a passion for the game. Her senior year brought yet another opportunity when her school launched a girls' basketball team. Standing six feet tall and already in top physical condition, she contributed for a season, even if basketball never felt like her natural fit.

With that broad athletic background and the prodding of her father, Carlan pursued an appointment to the Naval Academy. Once on the Yard, her athleticism was noticed right away. During the mandatory plebe summer swim test, Carlan's confidence in the water was obvious and so was the attention of the swim coach watching from the deck. 

"I knew that Coach Lee Lawrence was watching us, so I gave it my best effort," she said. Even though she felt burnt out from swimming and was hoping to try basketball instead, the coach quickly changed her mind. 

With limited numbers of women at the Academy, versatility wasn't just an asset; it was a necessity. So, after playing volleyball in the fall, she joined the swim team, a sport where she would eventually reach All-America status. Rowing in the spring season, however, was entirely new. Growing up in Arizona, she had never even heard of "crew" before arriving in Annapolis. Yet, it would become one of the defining challenges, and rewards, of her athletic career.

Carlan entered the Academy as part of the fourth graduating class to include women, a milestone that made a significant difference. 

"We finally had four classes of women on the Yard. So, for the varsity teams, we started to have full rosters for some of our sports," she explained. 

Still, the demands were intense, particularly for athletes competing year-round. For her, shifting from volleyball to swimming required rebuilding endurance, while the move from swimming to rowing often meant grueling hours on the water and on the ergometers. Despite the toll, Carlan embraced the challenge, motivated not only by competition but also camaraderie.

"There was nothing that said I had to do three sports, but a side perk was that I really liked team tables," she added, remembering the relaxed atmosphere of eating meals with the other varsity athletes.

When asked which sport she loved most, her answer was immediate, "Volleyball was the one that I loved to play the most." 

Swimming was the sport that came most naturally to her. Rowing, she says, was the toughest but also uniquely rewarding. "Crew was the most team-oriented. If you're in a boat with seven other people and you're not on the same page, it's a noticeable problem," she explained.

That emphasis on teamwork carried over into her leadership roles at the Academy. As a senior, Carlan was selected to be a regimental commander, a role she describes as deeply humbling. Her leadership, combined with her athletic and academic achievements, made her a visible symbol of what women at the Naval Academy could accomplish.

In 1985, she was awarded the Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence Sword for Women, an honor that carried special personal meaning. Carlan served in the same company as Wendy Lawrence, Admiral Lawrence's daughter and a close friend from the rowing team. 

"Meeting the Superintendent and spending time in his home made the award feel especially meaningful," she explained. 

That same year, Carlan also became the first woman to win the Thompson Trophy Cup, presented to the midshipman, since 1893, to have done the most during the year for the promotion of athletics at the Naval Academy. By winning this award, Carlan's legacy was cemented among the Academy's most distinguished athletes, alongside names like Roger Staubach and David Robinson.

Today, her legacy continues through the Cheryl Dolyniuk Carlan Award, presented annually to a graduating female midshipman who exemplifies excellence in athletics, leadership, and academics. Nominations for this award are received from the coaching staff and the Commandant of Midshipmen and decided upon by the Athletic & Scholarship Program trustees.

Professionally, upon her commissioning, opportunities for women in the Navy were still limited, but Carlan again charted an ambitious course. She entered flight training in Pensacola, continued multi-engine training in Corpus Christi, and went on to fly C-130s at Barbers Point, Hawaii.

"Our mission during the Cold War was to stay airborne all the time, so if something happened, we could send a signal to the submarines," she explained. 

As her career evolved, Carlan was stationed at Patuxent River, Md., to become part of the test team for the E-6A, a larger aircraft designed for longer airborne endurance. She was part of the crew that flew the E-6A for one of its first 24-hour missions of continuous flight.

Fifty years after women first arrived at the Naval Academy, Cheryl Dolyniuk Carlan's story remains a powerful reminder of what determination, teamwork, and leadership can achieve. As an athlete, trailblazer, and naval officer, she didn't just succeed in a demanding era, she helped define it.