July 31, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

Briefly
The 11th season of LMU rowing in the West Coast Conference resulted in a disappointing third place finish at the conference championship but the women's lightweight 4 capped the year by claiming the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Regatta Championship, the program's third national title in its history.

Women's Lightweight 4 Wins IRA
It had been 19 years since LMU women's rowers stood atop the podium at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship Regatta but the drought came to an end as the women's lightweight four claimed its third national title with a convincing victory on Cooper River in Camden, NJ. The Lion boat of seniors Jill Austin, Jen Glassman, and Jennifer Guess (cox), along with freshmen Liz LaLonde and Mary Foster, took the gold 12 seconds ahead of defending champion Princeton. LMU had won gold in the same event in both 1981 and 1989 before women's lightweight four was dropped from the schedule. Princeton took first in 2007 when the event was reinstated and was looking for back-to-back championships this year. LMU had other ideas, however. The quad held even with Princeton in the early going before pulling ahead around the midway mark. LMU increased its lead throughout the second half of the race to cross the line in 7:15.514, nearly a minute faster than the crew's previous season best. Princeton came in second in 7:27.660 with Fordham third in 7:33.960.

Cronin and Wike Win IRA Petite Final
It was not the National Championship they had set out for but nevertheless, LMU seniors David Cronin and Scott Wike capped their outstanding careers with a victory in the men's pair Petite Final at the 106th Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship Regatta on Cooper River in Camden, NJ. The victory put the pair in seventh place overall among the top 15 crews in the nation.
After consecutive second-place finishes in the heat and repechage events on Thursday and Friday, Cronin and Wike found themselves in the Petite Final, contesting for positions 7-12. Early morning fog on the river pushed back the start time by 30 minutes but by the time the crews took the water, the fog had burned away, leaving near-ideal conditions of mid-70 temperatures with a mild breeze. LMU took a slight lead right from the starting gun, which they maintained over the first half of the race. In the third 500m portion was where the duo really pulled away, asserting their lead to cross the line in 7:09.6, five seconds ahead of Georgetown (7:14.2). George Washington placed third (7:17.2) with Loyola College (Md.) fourth (7:19.7), Brown fifth (7:23.3), and Navy sixth (7:26.0).

Women Place Third at WCC
LMU finished in a solid third place at the 12th Annual West Coast Conference rowing championships, held at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, CA on May 2.
The day began with the varsity 4 race. The Lions turned in their third-best time in their nine-year history in the WCC, 8:06.5, but it was not enough to keep up with Gonzaga and San Diego. The Bulldogs won in 7:40.0 to claim the maximum five points, followed by the Toreros in 7:56.0 for four points. LMU won three points, finishing comfortably ahead of Saint Mary's (8:27.9) and Santa Clara (8:40.9).
Gonzaga continued its dominance in the second varsity 8 race, winning for the ninth consecutive year in a time of 6:56.7 for 10 points. A tight finish for second went to San Diego (7:07.4) over the Lions (7:08.7), with eight points going to USD and six to LMU. Santa Clara (7:20.6) and Saint Mary's (7:26.8) swapped places for fourth and fifth, respectively.
The final race of the day was the varsity 8, a race in which the Lions had twice claimed gold, in 2004 and 2006. This was not to be their day, however, as Gonzaga again displayed its talent, rowing home in 6:44.0. San Diego turned in another second place performance in 6:49.1 while Saint Mary's jumped ahead of LMU in 6:54.7. The Lions placed fourth in 7:00.7, edging Santa Clara (7:01.3) by six-tenths of a second. Gonzaga clinched its second straight title and 11th in the event's 12-year history, finishing with the maximum 30 points. San Diego improved from two consecutive fifth-place finishes to second, totaling 24 points. LMU, the 2006 champions, compiled 15 points, two ahead of Saint Mary's, and Santa Clara finished fifth with eight points.

Austin Named All-WCC
Senior Jill Austin was LMU's lone representative on the All-West Coast Conference team, announced at the conclusion of the conference championship. It was Austin's second conference award, having won previously in 2006.

Four Named WCC All-Academic
LMU garnered four of the 14 spots on the women's rowing team, topping the two honored last year. Senior Jill Austin was honored for the second time in her career (2006), while seniors Kathryn Holzberger, Becky Nolan and Stephanie Speer each earned their first selection. The award caps a phenomenal career for Austin, who was named First Team All-WCC in 2008 and helped LMU's lightweight 4 boat to the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association and Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Regatta championships. In March, she was awarded an NCAA Postgraduate scholarship and graduated in May with a degree in Communication Studies and a 3.80 grade-point-average. Holzberger, Nolan, and Speer were all members of the varsity 8 for every race in 2008, with Nolan also competing with the varsity 4 boat that won the Pacific Coast Rowing Championship. All three also earned their degrees in May: Bannerman (3.22 GPA) in Business, Holzberger (3.71) in Natural Science, and Nolan (3.64) in Biochemistry.

Jill Austin Awarded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
Senior Jill Austin has been awarded the prestigious NCAA Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship, the organization announced in early March. Austin is one of 13 female student-athletes from all NCAA divisions nationwide to be awarded the scholarship and the third LMU student-athlete in the last six years to gain the honor. A communications major from Newport Beach, CA, Austin became the first female LMU rower to appear on the United States National Team, competing for the under-20 squad at the World Championships in Scotland in July 2007. In 2006, she was named All-West Coast Conference and All-Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association as a member of the varsity 8 boat that won LMU's first West Coast Conference Championship. She was also twice named to the WCC All-Academic team and was a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association National Scholar Athlete in 2006.
"I am honored to receive this scholarship and very thankful for the teachers, coaches, and athletic staff who have provided me with so much support and guidance in my pursuits," Austin said. "I am excited for the possibilities this scholarship affords as I pursue a career in sports management. I would like to thank the NCAA for recognizing the achievements and potential that this group of women can have in the future of the sports industry."
Austin graduated from LMU in May. She plans to defer her enrollment in graduate school for a year, while she pursues a spot on the USRowing National Team. She is the third LMU female in the last six years to be awarded the Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship. Laura Gustorf (2002-03) and Kealani Kimball (2003-04), both from women's volleyball, were previously honored.

Dawn Regan Hired as Coordinator of Rowing
Dawn Regan, a former assistant coach at UCLA, was hired as the Coordinator of Rowing at Loyola Marymount University in July. Regan becomes the first female to head the LMU rowing program in the West Coast Conference era, taking over for Patrick Kelly, who had led the Lions for nine seasons before being released from his contract in June.
"Dawn brings a focused enthusiasm to our program that will allow us to compete for the WCC Championship year in and year out," LMU Director of Athletics Bill Husak said. "Her previous experiences, coupled with an ability to recruit, develop and train athletes, bodes well for an exciting future for LMU rowing." "Having rowed and coached against LMU for many years, I have great respect for the school and its tradition," Regan said. "I know what this program is capable of and look forward to taking it to the next level of collegiate rowing."
Regan makes the short move across the marina to LMU after three seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, UCLA. Heading the Bruin freshman and novice programs, she contributed to the women's team earning NCAA Championship bids in 2005-06 and 2006-07. In 2007, Regan helped to the novice 8 to a first place finish at the San Diego Crew Classic, an improvement of five places from the previous year. She also coached the novice 8 to a third place finish in the 2007 Pac-10 Championships. Additionally, she has had many local victories, defeating top programs San Diego State and USC in dual meets.
Regan's successes at UCLA were not confined to the water. In addition to her coaching duties, she was coordinator of the walk-on process that involved over 100 women per year. She also was involved in alumni relations for the women's rowing team and assisted in the establishment of the Wooden Academy, serving to provide workshops for student-athletes to become positive role models.
A walk-on rower at UCLA, Regan was a three-year letterwinner for the Bruins under head coach Amy Fuller Kearney. She rowed in the top novice eight her first season and led the Bruins to their first Pac-10 Grand Final in more than 10 years. Regan's enthusiasm and passion for the sport earned her the Most Inspirational Athlete award at the conclusion of her first season.
Her development as an athlete continued during the summer of 2002 (prior to her junior year) when she attended a U.S. National Team Development Camp in Philadelphia, where she rowed with the top collegiate athletes from around the nation at the prestigious Vesper Boat Club. Regan ended the summer with two gold medals from the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta and a silver and bronze medal from the club nationals.
In 2004, Regan graduated from the school of Letters and Science at UCLA with a degree in psychology and a minor in women's studies. Following her graduation, Regan became an assistant coach of the women's rowing program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as the novice coach and led the Penn women to a fourth-place finish at the Eastern Sprints.

Women's Light 4 Win Highlights WIRA Action
The women's lightweight four made it back-to-back Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association titles in May, taking gold in the Grand Final at Lake Natoma, CA. Racing out of lane five, LMU edged the Cal Lights by a hair, with both timing in at 7:52.1. Saint Mary's was third in 7:58.4 with Santa Clara fourth at 8:16.5. It was the second consecutive year that the Lions had won the lightweight four gold and they become the first team ever to have won the event twice.
In other LMU action, the men's pair of David Cronin and Scott Wike finished second while the men's lightweight four was third and the women's varsity eight was fourth. Soon after the Lions had their first gold, Cronin and Wike went for their second successive WIRA title. Coming out of lane two, the pair challenged Long Beach State right to the finish but was defeated by five seconds, 7:31.3 to 7:36.5. Santa Clara placed third in 7:39.5.
The men's lightweight four was to follow, putting in a fine effort to finish in the middle of the pack in 7:07.3. The Cal Lights were first in 6:56.8, followed by UC Santa Barbara in 7:02.4.
In the last Grand Final featuring an LMU boat, the women's second varsity eight rowed to a fourth place finish in 7:13.5, trailing Gonzaga (7:02), UC Davis (7:01.8), and Sacramento State (7:09.8). Two more LMU boats rounded out the day. The men's varsity eight finished second in the Third Final in 6:38.5 while the women's varsity eight was fourth in the Petite Final in 7:24.7.

Four Golds, Two Silvers at PCRC
LMU rowing continued to peak at the right time as the Lions claimed four golds and two silvers from the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships held May 17 at Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, CA. Senior Jill Austin accounted for two golds and a silver while the men's pair of David Cronin and Scott Wike defended their title from last year with another gold. The women's openweight four and lightweight four also brought home top honors.
Cronin and Wike got the day started in winning fashion, comfortably taking the men's pair event with a 17-second victory over a crew from UC Davis. The victory gave Cronin and Wike back-to-back PCRC titles to go along with their second-place finish at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Regatta two weeks prior while qualifying them for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta.
Next up on the day were the women's lightweight and openweight eights. The Stanford lightweights showed why they were the number two ranked lightweight crew in the country, rowing to a 23-second victory over LMU, who held on to second by eight seconds over third-place Santa Clara. In the women's open eight, LMU rowed a young line-up of underclassmen, as the seniors have gone home for the summer. The group finished in the silver medal position, seven seconds behind UC San Diego. With no seniors competing in the openweight division, this race provided valuable experience for a boat full of student-athletes who will be returning next fall.
As the long, hot day of competition wore on and a strong headwind began to blow, LMU seemed to get better. Mid-day, Jill Austin outpaced a pair of singles from UC San Diego for her first gold of the day after taking the silver in the lightweight eight earlier. In the day's biggest field, the women's open four, LMU fought hard through a tough field of seven boats to win by over a boat length ahead of Sacramento State. Austin returned to the water for the day's final race to win her second gold and third medal of the day, this time in the lightweight four alongside Jen Glassman, Mary Foster, Liz LaLonde, and cox Jen Guess. The LMU crew showed it is ready for the IRA Nationals with a 43-second win over UCSD.

LMU Sweeps Head of the Marina
LMU's crew season got off to a winning start in November as the Lion boats won all four of their entries at the Head of the Marina race in Marina del Rey. The men's and women's novice 8, the women's varsity 4, and senior Jill Austin competing as a single all rowed to victories against a variety of collegiate and club competition.

Austin, Storaasli Take Gold at Beach Sprints
Seniors Jill Austin and Landon Storaasli continued their personal success at the Beach Sprints, held January 26 at the Pete Archer Boathouse in Long Beach. Austin won her third consecutive gold while Storaasli medaled for the third straight year. Competing as an independent rower in the collegiate lightweight women category, Austin finished the 2000m course on her rowing machine in 7:20.0, 20 seconds faster than that of her closest competitor.
After claiming gold in the last two years in the collegiate lightweight men category, Storaasli had to settle for silver this time around. His time of 6:38.0 trailed only that of UCLA's Alexander Blaseio, who was less than a second faster at 6:37.2. The Lions also had three more rowers in the lightweight top-10 as Michael Wither (6:49.5) and Miles Dobbyn (6:50.4) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, and Dominic Leon was 10th in 6:57.8. David Cronin turned in the only other top-10 performance on the day, placing sixth in the collegiate men event.

Austin Wins Bronze at World Indoor Erging Championship
Senior Jill Austin traveled to Boston to compete alongside over 1,900 other rowers in the World Indoor Rowing Championships, held at Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University on February 24. Rowing in the Women's Open Lightweight division, Austin placed fifth out of 71 competitors and was third among collegiate rowers. Austin qualified for the World Indoor Rowing Championships, also known as the C.R.A.S.H.-B's, by winning the Long Beach Sprints in January and beating the qualifying standard of 7:23. In Boston, she went up against 71 female participants from around the world in the "Open Lightweight" category, 54 of which are current collegiate rowers.
Austin's time of 7:19.5 over the 2,000-meter course was the fifth-fastest overall and third-fastest by a collegiate rower, earning her a bronze medal. Austin was the first female Lion rower to qualify for the C.R.A.S.H.-B event and just the second LMU participant, joining Warren Anderson `06.

Men's Varsity 8 Retains Parker Cup
The LMU men's varsity eight retained the Parker Cup, winning the season-opener for the third straight season over San Diego State and UC Irvine on March 2 at Lido Channel in Newport Beach. The Lions also got victories from the men's varsity four and women's lightweight eight on the day. With almost ideal conditions racing into the tide and little to slight cross tailwind, the men's V8 battled UCI throughout the entire 2000m before pulling ahead for a two-second victory in 6:12.7.
The men's V4 race was not as close as LMU (7:12.6) rowed to a five-second victory over UCI's second boat (7:17.9). On the women's side, the lightweight eight got the traditional 2008 season off to a winning start with a wide victory over UC Irvine. LMU completed the course in 7:18.4, well ahead of UCI's time of 8:05.9. As for the rest of the LMU lineup, the women's V8, women's 2V8, and men's novice 8 all took second place in their respective races.

Women Go Head-to-Head with National Powers at Windermere Regatta
On March 29-30, the LMU women's lightweight 8 posted a seven-second victory over MIT to end the Pac-10 Challenge sponsored by Windermere Real Estate with a victory. In Saturday's action at Redwood Shores in Palo Alto, the Lions were on the tail end of head-to-head races with national powers Princeton and Stanford.
On Saturday, LMU kicked off the weekend action by taking on Princeton, the runners-up in last year's Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships. In LMU's toughest race of the season so far, the Tigers showed that they are again strong this season, finishing in 7:14.40 to LMU's 7:30.50.
After breaking during the rest of the morning sessions, the Lions returned to the water for the afternoon session against hosts Stanford. A stiff headwind and choppy conditions resulted in slower times with the hosts pulling away over the final 500m, emerging victorious in a time of 7:44.57 while LMU completed the course in 7:55.49. The Lions regrouped and reshuffled the lineup on Sunday morning to finish the weekend on a winning note. MIT had edged LMU by 4.8 seconds last year at the national championships but the Lions were able to jump out to an early one-length lead, which they expanded for a seven-second win, 7:32.21 to 7:39.99.

Warren Anderson Heading to Beijing
LMU rowing alumnus Warren Anderson `06 continued his quest to become the first Lion rower to compete at an Olympic Games when he was named an alternate for the 2008 United States Olympic Rowing team. Anderson will serve as an alternate for one of USRowing's two sculls boats.
Anderson, who starred for the Lions from 2003-06, previously rowed for the US National Team at the 2007 Pan American Games, where he brought home a bronze medal as a member of the quadruple sculls boat. For Anderson, it is a remarkable achievement for a rower who is not trained in sculling to be on the cusp of the Olympic team. Anderson had never sculled until he completed his college career at LMU two years ago. Sculling is a form of rowing in which each athlete uses two oars (one in each hand) as opposed to sweep rowing (one oar per athlete), which is used in all collegiate competition.