At the February 2016 New Zealand rowing championships, Prendergast competed in three premier boat classes and won one national title. She lost her title in the eight as the boat came second. She was also second with the coxless four. Teamed up with Emma Dyke, she retained her national title in the coxless pair. When the Olympic rowing team got announced in March 2016, it came as a big disappointment to Gowler and Prendergast that they were not picked for the coxless pair (this was given to Rebecca Scown and Genevieve Behrent) but were chosen for the women's eight instead. Not picking world championship silver medallists was described by "The New Zealand Herald" as demonstrating the "depth and competitiveness" of New Zealand's female squad in 2016. The eight squad went to the 2016 World Rowing Cups II and III in Switzerland and Poland in preparation for the Olympics, and they came third and first, respectively. At the August 2016 Rio Olympics they came fourth.