July 29, 2011
SAN DIEGO, Calif.- Coming off a record-setting season in which the team won their second-consecutive West Coast Conference championship and took home the All-Points Trophy at this year's WIRAs, the University of San Diego women's rowing team is not sitting back to bask in their success over the summer. Instead, a number of Torero rowers have been in action throughout the summer competing and remaining active in the sport in preparation for another standout season in 2011-2012.
Notably, team captain and senior-to-be Gina Schneider and sophomore-to-be Chelsea Lucas have spent the summer on the water with the U-23 camp at the University of Minnesota, recently wrapping up a successful showing at the Club National Championships July 13-17 at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, Ind. Schneider, who was named All-WCC this past season, competed in the Women's Senior Eights, taking second in the Intermediate Eight Final at 6:52.90, while Lucas competed in the Women's Intermediate Single and the Women's Fours.
"I've been fortunate to do a lot of traveling and a lot of rowing," said Schneider, a native of St. Paul, Minn. "It's always nice to get back on the Mississippi River for some summer rowing. It was awesome to take second in the Eight Final at Club National Championships. USD had great representation at Nationals. All of that summer racing gets me fired up for another exciting season at USD!"
Also on the water at Eagle Creek Park that weekend were senior-to-be Hannah Patrick and junior-to-be Rachel Forseth, who are rowing for the San Diego Rowing Club this summer. Patrick, an All-WCC and Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-West Region first-teamer this past season, notched her top performance at Club Nationals with a first-place finish in the Women's Intermediate Single semi-final, clocking a time of 8:15.80. Patrick also took second-place in the Women's Senior Single semi-final, coming in at 8:22:57 and won her first heat in the Senior single with a run of 8:27.67, while Forseth competed in the Women's Senior Pair.
Meanwhile off the water, sophomore-to-be Courtney Olson is using her rowing experience to teach the sport with Row LA, a non-profit organization aimed at providing opportunities for inner-city youth to learn rowing while developing their academic skills. Olson is serving as one of Row LA's summer camp counselors.
"Courtney's energy and love for rowing is infectious and she is able to communicate that with the students she teaches," said Row LA director Liz Greenberger. "We love her passion and energy and her willingness to work hard."
Overall, the Torero women's rowers have kept themselves busy in a variety of ways this offseason, giving USD head coach Kim Cupini reason to believe the upcoming season will bring more of the success that has helped elevate Torero rowing over the past few years.
