Gonzaga Crew Fall News Letter
10/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Crew
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GONZAGA CREW - PLEASE CONTACT DAN GEHN (509) 323-4228 OR GLENN PUTYRAE (509) 323-4221.
WOMEN'S CREW NEWSAt the beginning of the 2001 Spring semester Kate Tytus and I decided to go a different direction with the team, and by the end of the season were left with positive results and a promising future. After returning from the Winter Break, Kate and I decided to combine the Novices and Varsity to create one unified Gonzaga women's crew. It was our belief that in combining the team we would create an opportunity for all of the athletes to compete and excel. The result was a Spring varsity 8 comprised of 2 four year seniors, Vicki Olson and Bonnie Corbin, 3 second year rowers, and 4 true novices. With such inexperience we had no idea of what to expect from the Varsity 8 this season and approached Spring racing with the goal of improving in each of our races. We also raced combinations of a JV 8, Third Varsity 8 and First Novice 8.
In our first race against Washington State we experienced mixed results. We raced our top 8 against the Varsity and JV 8's of WSU and appeared to have defeated the WSU JV, earning a spot in the Opening Day Regatta in Seattle, and lost to the WSU Varsity. After the races were concluded for the day a protest was lodged by the WSU JV and it was determined that because an invitation to Opening Day was at stake the race between the WSU JV and Gonzaga Varsity would be re-rowed two weeks later in Pullman. In the re-row Washington State proved to be the better crew that day and earned the Opening Day berth. Both of the JV and 3V eights struggled againt their WSU counterparts, but the main goal of figuring out our strengths and weaknesses was certainly achieved, and we returned to practice with renewed diligence.
The following weekend we traveled to Bellingham, WA to race Western Washington. After several delays because of weather we came within one race of a team sweep of the Western Crews, our only loss being a slight 1.5 second defeat of the Varsity 8 at the hands of the Western Varsity. After a long week of solid practices, the JV, 3V and Novice eights all raced hard and finished ahead of the Vikings.
After two defeats (three including the re-row) the Varsity 8 headed to the San Diego Crew Classic while our Junior Varsity, Varsity 4 and Novices traveled to Seattle for the Husky Invitational. Upon arrival in San Diego we picked up a new racing 8 purchased with the monies raised by the men's and women's team through the 2000 Row-a-thon. The Varsity women entered racing simply hoping to get an indication of how much work would lie ahead, racing several first time opponents and all of the WCC crews. We finished the regatta fifth in the Grand Final behind Tulsa, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kansas State but ahead of conference rival San Diego and the rest of the competing crews from the West Coast.
At the Husky Invitational, the Novice 8 picked up the lone win of the day defeating several schools from the Northwest, including Pacific Lutheran and Western Washington. The JV 8 faced the University of Washington's Third Varsity 8 as well as Western Washington's JV. They knew that Western would be seeking revenge and struggled throughout the race to stay ahead of both formidable crews. Finally both UW and WWU pulled ahead placing the JV third. The Varsity 4 fought another strong UW crew and finished second.
Next up was UC Davis in Spokane, a team that over the past 3 years has consistently been a challenge. With renewed confidence and racing experience, the Varsity 8 defeated Davis. Unfortunately, UC Davis traveled only their Varsity and Novice squads, so while the JV did not get to race, the Novice 8 and Novice 4 both fell to two very strong Davis crews.
Following Davis, all boats set their sights on the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Championships and the West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships in Sacramento, CA. The Varsity began the weekend with two goals: earn the right to represent WIRA and the WCC at the Avaya Collegiate Championships (Formerly Champion International Collegiate Regatta) and defend our WCC title. The JV also intended to defend their WCC title, but also to get the last word in the ongoing battle between Gonzaga and Western Washington. The Third Varsity 8 broke into a Varsity 4 and Novice 4 for the WIRA Championships.
On the first day of racing in Sacramento, the V8 raced against all non Pac-10 rowing schools. We finished second to Sacramento State in a close race in which the second through fifth place crews were all within a half-length and with the University of San Diego trailing. This result earned the Varsity a trip to Georgia for the Avaya Championship. The JV 8 also came in second at the WIRA Championships behind Orange Coast College. Both the Varsity and Novice Fours struggled in their heats and ultimately not able to fight their way into the final.
The following day in the WCC Championship the Varsity came into the race having defeated our closest conference rival San Diego in the previous three meetings. To their credit San Diego came out fighting, shaving their previous six-second deficit down to less than a length, pushing several times during the race. In the end San Diego came up short to the Varsity women, who finished well ahead of the rest of the field. The JV entered the race knowing that they had already defeated San Diego but knowing little about the other crews. The JV 8 came out of the blocks fighting and maintained a lead down the entire course, finishing more than 8 seconds ahead of the pack. The Varsity 4 had a tough race against the many "stacked" fours from other schools and finished in fourth place. With a total of 27 points the Zags won their fifth straight WCC Championship.
Two weeks later the Varsity 8 traveled to Gainesville, GA for the Avaya Championship. Against non-scholarship teams from all over the country we finished third, one-tenth of a second behind second place Ithaca College (NY) and just over five seconds behind the eventual National Champion of Division II/III schools Williams (MA). With only two rowers departing from our third place entry we finished the season with high expectations for the future. We begin this season with great optimism. We return 16 rowers and 3 coxswains from last year's squad all of whom have varsity racing experience. Three of our returners spent the summer rowing at Seattle based camps. Nicki Lustig and Maria Bokulich both spent the Summer at the National Team Northwest Development Camp at the University of Washington and Kristi Aamodt attended the Lake Washington Rowing Club Development camp. With the addition of what appears to be an extremely talented Novice class we have our sights set on avenging the defeats of last year and a return to the Avaya Championship.
MEN'S CREW NEWSThe men's varsity squad had a great spring season. Led by seniors, captain Travis Lamb, Paul Williams and Jacob Morelan, the varsity boat raced well in its early season duals. The top eight took wins over Washington State, the University of British Columbia and Western Washington. The squad also recorded sweeps against those teams.
As racing continued through the spring the varsity had a good showing at San Diego coming in third by seven seconds to UC Davis. The varsity eight trimmed that down to a two second deficit with a dual race against UC Davis one week later at Silver Lake in Spokane. Although the crew was disappointed in their fourth place finish at the WIRA Championships, the JV fielded the silver medal losing to UC Davis by four seconds.
One important note to make abouth thes two crews is their youth. The varsity competed with one true novice freshman, three sophomores and two juniors. The junior varsity boat consisted of five novices and three juniors. A truly young squad that gained a lot of experience, especially considering that the novices raced twice at every regatta. The experienced should provide a good foundation for this coming season.
After training the entire year in preparation for the spring racing season, this year's freshmen were rewarded with the most spring races that any freshmen class has recorded at Gonzaga. This year's squad doubled up at many of their competitions in both the JV and Novice events, giving them twice as many races as usual. The most by one athlete this spring, was eighteen by Mark Voorhees of Bow, Washington.
In a similar move to last year, this year's freshmen were given the opportunity to make a varsity boat. This gave the overall team great depth and speed, which became apparent with the good results of the races. It also gave the freshmen the chance to gain some very important varsity race experience that they wouldn't usually gain until their sophomore year. After winning their first races against the University of British Columbia, Washington State and Western Washington, respectively, the JV boat had a solid fourth place showing at the Varsity 8+ race in the Husky Invite in Seattle.
In the middle of April, the team flew to Sacramento for the WIRA Championships on Lake Natoma. We decided not to race the novice race down there, instead concentrating our efforts on the JV event. Seven freshmen, including spares, still made the trip as a part of the JV crew. The experience that this young boat achieved over the season as a result of all the racing shined as they dug in from a fourth place position at the 1000-meter mark to take the silver medal at the end. The team was edged out by UC Davis while holding off Western Washington to take second.
After the regular racing season was done, the boat for the IRA National Championship in Camden, New Jersey, was selected. The freshman 4+ of Mark Voorhees, Mike Baisch, Dave Gilbert, Larry Young and Mara Oblak trained by themselves in Spokane for three weeks in preparation for the Championship. While in Camden, they had raced three times aand with each race great improvements were made in how they attacked and executed the race at hand. In the end, they were edged out of first place in the Petite Final by 0.1 seconds by Michigan State. They finished eighth in the country for Freshman 4+ crews.
GONZAGA CREW NEWS AND NOTESGonzaga Men's Crew Raises Money For Victims Relief: The Gonzaga University men's crew recently held a fund-raiser to help the victim's relief fund following the tradgic events of September 11, 2001. Getting publicity from a local radio station, the men's team held a car wash on a Saturday afternoon with all proceeds being donated to the American Red Cross. The team was able to raise $661 during the four-hour fund raising event. In addition several team members donated blood to help in the relief effort.
GROTHKOPP MAKES BID AT NATIONAL TEAM: Former Gonzaga rower Chris Grothkopp will travel to New Jersey at the start of October to train for a possible spot on the United States Men's National Team. Grothkopp is currently training at Gonzaga before making the trip back east.
ZAGS GRAB ALL-WCC HONORS: Gonzaga head coach Glenn Putyrae earned his second West Coast Conference Coach of the Year honor while Vicki Olson, Nickie Lustig, Bonnie Corbin and coxswain Courtney Haase earned All-West Coast Conference honors for GU. San Diego's Alison Cox, Kimberly Cupini, Saint Mary's Sabrina Linden, LMU's Charlotte Livingstone and Santa Clara's Katie Collard rounded out the All-WCC squad.
VICKI OLSON NAMED TO ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM: Gonzaga University senior Vicki Olson (Anchorage, AK) was named to the Verizon Academic All-District VIII Second Team released earlier today. A member of Gonzaga crew, Olson recently completed her collegiate career with a 3.75 GPA in honors biology while rowing four seasons for the Bulldogs. Olson was a member of four consecutive West Coast Conference Championship teams earning All-WCC honors as a senior. She finished her career just over a week ago when the Gonzaga varsity eight finished third at the Avaya Collegiate Championships in Georgia.
WOMEN'S ROWERS EARN ALL-WEST HONORS: The Gonzaga University women's crew placed four rowers on the All-West Region and All-West Region Academic teams announced by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. Nicole Lustig (Moses Lake, WA) and Maria Bokulich (Santa Cruz, CA) were named to the All-West Region team while Lustig joined Vicki Olson (Anchorage, AK) on the All-West Region Academic team.
Lustig earns All-West Region first team honors after rowing in the varsity eight boat that recently finished third at the Avaya Collegiate Rowing Championships in Georgia. The senior rower becomes Gonzaga's second All-West Region honoree and the first Bulldogs rower to ever receive first-team honors. Laura Curd was Gonzaga's first All-West selection earning second team accolades last season. Lustig was also named to the All-West Region Academic team after completing her college career with a 3.86 GPA in special education.
Bokulich was named to the All-West Region second team after moving into the varsity eight boat earlier this season. A true freshman, Bokulich becomes Gonzaga's most decorated rowing freshman with her second-team recognition. She joins Lustig to give Gonzaga three rowers who have earned All-West Region honors over the last two seasons.
GEHN TAKES 10TH AT CRASH B's: Gonzaga University head men's crew coach Dan Gehn finished 10th in the World at the Crash B Indoor World Rowing Championships held in Boston. Gehn, a former standout rower at the University of Wisconsin, finished 10th for the 30-39 age group that included 68 rowers from 10 different countries. This is the third time that Gehn has competed in the event over the last seven years. In 1994 he won the World Championships and finished fourth at the 1996 event. This year's event was won by former Finland national team member Klaus Geiger.
Long-time Gonzaga rowing supporter Walker Collins also had a good showing the event winning the World Championship in the Veteran B (60-69) age group.
Gonzaga Rowing Row-A-Thon 2001:It is time again for the annual Gonzaga University ROW-A-THON. Each fall the athletes, coaches and guest rowers keep the machines spinning until we have accumulated ONE MILLION METERS. Our goal for ROW-A-THON 2001 is to raise $40,000 for a new eight scull and two new four sculls. We will be rowing in the Martin Centre on Friday, November 2. We greatly appreciate any donation you can make to this fundraising campaign. If you are interested in contributing to our $40,000 goal, please fill out the form below and send it in with your Parents' Day Bar-B-Que RSVP (other side of flyer). Thank you.
