Freshman Morgan Grastorf ended her first year as a rower on a high note, as she was named to the 2014 Pocock All-America Second Team. She is the third rower to earn an All-America award at Iowa since 2006. Grastorf also earned Collegiate Rowing Coaches Associations (CRCA) recognition as a first team All-Central Region pick and was selected to attend the USRowing Women’s Pre-Elite Camp in Princeton, New Jersey. She was a successful basketball player at Waubonsie Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois and was recruited to row by the Hawkeyes without prior sport experience.
CRCA AWARDS ROUNDUP
Six members of the UI rowing program earned Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) recognition in 2014. Freshman Morgan Grastorf earned first team All-Central Region recognition, while sophomores Madeline Anglin (nursing) and Katie Brown (psychology) and juniors Mackenzie Norton (international studies – development), Destinee Gwee (biochemistry) and Gabrielle Watson (speech and hearing science) were named CRCA Scholar Athletes. All-Region selections were evaluated on the strength of their team’s regional finish, coach recommendations and 2,000-meter erg score. Scholar Athletes owned a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, raced in 75 percent or more of competitions and were in their second, third or fourth year of eligibility. Norton and Watson were also honored as Scholar Athletes a season ago.
B1G CHAMPIONSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
The Hawkeyes finished seventh at the 2014 Big Ten Championship at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2N8 (7:44.997), 1N8 (7:28.030), 3V4 (8:21.787), 2V4 (7:55.662) and 2V8 (7:00.950) crews placed sixth in the championship regatta, while the 1V8 finished seventh (6:53.982). After the competition, sophomore Zoe Ribar earned first team All-Big Ten recognition, sophomore Lauren Subler earned second team All-Big Ten honors and junior Gabrielle Watson received Iowa’s Sportsmanship Award.
CLASSROOM SUCCESS
Sixteen rowing student-athletes — a program most since 2011 — were named Academic All-Big Ten for their dedication in the classroom following the 2014 season. Honorees had to have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at Iowa. Sophomores Madeline Anglin (nursing), Claire Benschoter (nursing interest), Katie Brown (psychology), Nina Hendriks (mathematics), Skylar McSorley (speech and hearing science), Zoe Ribar (human physiology), Jessica Streur (English) and Lauren Subler (human physiology); juniors Brianna Achs (journalism and mass communications), Alyssa Armstrong (leisure studies), Beth Baustian (health and human physiology), Destinee Gwee (biochemistry/Asian languages and literatures), Mackenzie Norton (international studies/economics) and Gabrielle Watson (speech and hearing science); and seniors Sarah Bartlett (psychology) and Laura Hallman (interdepartmental studies) were recognized.
AN ELITE INVITATION
Freshman Morgan Grastorf — a member of the 1V8 crew — was invited to attend the 2014 USRowing Women’s Pre-Elite Camp in Princeton, New Jersey. The camp, which began on June 8 and continues through June 22, grooms up-and-coming rowers for the national teams and is a great honor in the rowing realm. Grastorf was one of eight freshmen and one of 16 student-athletes selected to attend the camp.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
After the team’s strong showings at Clemson and in the San Diego Crew Classic, the first two regattas of the season, UI rowing began receiving votes in the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA)/USRowing Coaches Poll. The Hawkeyes continued to receive votes for the remainder of the 2014 season.
BIG TEN BOAT OF THE WEEK
After winning its event at Clemson in the regular season opener at Clemson, the 2V4 was tabbed Big Ten Boat of the Week. Junior Rachel Crosley, freshman Kasia Gniatczyk, freshman Bec Clayton, sophomore Skylar McSorley and sophomore coxswain Rachel Chambers competed in the boat, which finished nearly 12 seconds ahead of runner-up Kansas. It is the first conference weekly award for the rowing program since April 15, 2008 and the second boat of the week nod for Iowa all-time.
A CLEAN SWEEP
The Hawkeyes swept Tennessee in their regular season finale regatta in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, winning all five races. UI won the 1V8 event by four seconds, 2V8 by two seconds, 1V4 by four seconds, 2V4 by 35 seconds and 1N8 by 24.5 seconds.
A STRONG START
In their season-opening regatta at Clemson, the Hawkeyes finished ahead of then-ranked No. 20 Duke in two of three NCAA events. The Iowa 2V8+ boat finished runner-up with a time of 6:56.42 after being edged out by No. 18 Clemson (6.56.00) by less than one second. The 1V4+ event was also a close race. The Tigers won the event (7:37.80), edging out the Hawkeyes (7.38.70). Iowa also placed second in the 1N/3V8+ with a time of 7:18.02 and third in the 1V8+ race with a 6:55.18 effort.
COMPETING AGAINST THE BEST
The Hawkeyes competed against numerous ranked opponents this season including eventual NCAA Champion Ohio State, Washington, USC, UCLA, Harvard, Washington State, Wisconsin, Louisville, Clemson, Syracuse, and Duke. Iowa’s 2V4+ boat defeated ranked crews in Clemson and Duke on March 22 at Clemson. The Hawkeyes also upset Washington State in the 3V8+ race at the Clemson Invite on April 19. Four Big Ten teams — Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin — earned berths to the 2014 NCAA Division I Rowing Championship. Ohio State claimed its second-straight NCAA title, Michigan finished eighth, Indiana placed 11th and Wisconsin recorded a 16th place result in a field of 22 teams.
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