By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110
SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's rowing team enters the 2016 spring season with a young squad and plenty of excitement following the fall season. The Bearcats will open their spring schedule on Saturday, March 19 at the Haag Lake Regatta, hosted by Pacific University. The regatta will be held at Haag Lake near Forest Grove, Oregon.
WU begins the spring by adding two athletes to the roster who competed in other sports during the fall or winter. They are Clara Sims (Fr., Los Lunas, N.M./School of Dreams Academy), who played soccer in the fall, and Anna Burdine (Fr., Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier HS), who competed in swimming this winter.
"Anna rowed in Seattle for Mount Baker, while Clara is brand new to the sport and has taken to it like a natural," Willamette Head Rowing Coach Reba Knickerbocker said. "Clara has helped to fill out the second varsity 8, along with returning rower Brenda Mittelbuscher, who was in Germany during the fall as part of the study abroad program.
The Bearcats also have moved two novice rowers up to the varsity 8. Rachael Christman and Elizabeth Crowler will be rowing at 3-seat and 5-seat, respectively, in the varsity boat. Miranda Martin will round out the middle of the boat by competing at 4 seat.
"All three bring some of our fastest erg (rowing machine) times," Knickerbocker noted.
Also returning after studying abroad in the fall is Hannah Puckett, who will row in 6 seat. Puckett has excellent competitive experience as a rower and will provide a solid technicasl base to the middle of the varsity boat.
Carrie Moore returns to the stroke seat that she held during the fall season.
"Carrie did a fantastic job her first season stroking and I expect her quiet leadership to push the crew to new competitive success," Knickerbocker said.
Contributing to the team's overall success and partnering with Carrie to lead the boat will be coxswain Kyra Farr. This is Farr's first season on the Willamette rowing team. She provides speed and has developed quality coxswain skills.
The team's only senior, Sara Fish, will row in the bow seat for the Bearcats. Fish is able to lead with her tremendous amount of experience at the college level.
"While bow seat is often overlooked by many, it requires considerable rowing acumen to row well and has a big influence on how the boat sets up," Knickerbocker commented. "Sarah is finishing up four years of rowing here at Willamette and will be missed not only by her teammates but by her coaches as well."
Joining Fish in the bow is Julia DiSimone in 2-seat. DiSimone went from being a coxswain last year to becoming a rower for the first time this past fall. Her ability to complete this move has helped strengthen the team.
The new rowers, plus experience gained during the fall season, have Knickerbocker anticipating significant growth in team's overall strength this spring.
"With more experience and faster erg times in the V8 this spring we will be increasing our competitiveness and pushing those crews that sit at the top of the conference," Knickerbocker said.
The Northwest Conference Championship Regatta is set for Sunday, April 24 at Vancouver Lake in Vancouver, Washington. University of Puget Sound won the inaugural NWC women's rowing title last season.
