By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University rower Sarah Fish (Jr., Issaquah, WA/Holy Names Academy) has been named All-Northwest Conference for the 2015-16 competitive season. Fish was one of nine athletes chosen for All-NWC honors at the 2016 NWC Championship Regatta.

Fish rows on Willamette's varsity 8+, which will be competing at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing  Association (WIRA) Championships this weekend. She began the season in the bow seat, but has moved to 7-seat in recent action.

"Sarah Fish epitomizes the resilience and commitment that being a four year rower requires," Willamette Head Coach Reba Knickerbocker said. "Since rowing has two seasons that sandwich a winter training period, it is essentially a year-round sport. So there are more than a few people that after rowing four years in high school, as Sarah did, choose to either do something different in college or don't row all four years.

"Fish on the other hand has maintained her commitment to her sport and to her team. She has held a captain position on the team for three years, and has been an integral part of the team's growth and increased competitiveness during those three years," Knickerbocker commented.

"From a coaching perspective Sarah is the athlete/rower that coaches love to have. She is extremely coachable, open to change, will do whatever is best for the team, encourages her teammates, gives valuable feedback, and really wants to see the whole team succeed," Knickerbocker noted.

Joining Fish as All-NWC selections were Hannah Peterson, Carly Lange and Kari Brauer of Pacific Lutheran University, Alexia Ingerson and Audra Tromly from University of Puget Sound, Katja Putzke and Madi Hyde from Lewis & Clark College, and Kimberly Parsons from Pacific University.

Willamette took fourth place in the women's varsity 8+ at the NWC Championship Regatta. The Bearcats also placed fourth in the team standings.