Nov. 23, 2010

LOS ANGELES - LMU rowing has received National Letter of Intent commitments from three rowers, Coordinator of Rowing and Head Coach Dawn Regan announced Tuesday. The Lions welcome Brittany Ressa, Paulina Lindstedt, and Emily Holland to their program beginning in the fall of 2011.

Ressa

"We are excited to welcome Brittany, Paulina and Emily to the LMU family," Regan said. "Their hard work and dedication to the sport of rowing will make them a great additions to our program."

A native of Tiburon, California, Brittany Ressa will join the LMU women's team as a coxswain after serving as the varsity men's coxswain for Marin Rowing, helping them to a second place finish at the 2010 Head of the American. While attending Redwood High School, Ressa has been a member of the California Scholarship Federation and Redwood Honor Society. Ressa has received numerous academic accolades, including first place at the Charles Brady Poetry Festival and being a finalist of the Convent of the Sacred Heart Essay contest. Ressa plans to study film and English at LMU as she pursues as career in screenwriting.

"Brittany is a smart and competitive coxswain that has improved greatly over the last year," Regan said. "Her intensity and focus will make her a great team player at LMU."

Lindstedt

Paulina Lindstedt currently rows in the top varsity 8 for Sammamish Rowing Association in Redmond, Washington. After joining the club in the summer of 2009, Lindstedt has quickly worked her way up through the ranks. She rowed in the top novice boat that went undefeated in the 2009-10 season before joining the varsity 8 that raced at the Head of the Charles in Boston, Massachusetts. She also helped Sammamish place second at the Head of the Lake in Seattle. Lindstedt attends the International Community School in Kirkland, Washington, where she serves a member of the Key Club, Environmental Club, and Mentor program. Born in Vienna, Austria and raised in Sweden before moving to Kirkland, Lindstedt is an all-around athlete who also played four years of varsity basketball.

"Paulina is a great athlete, she is an efficient and strong rower that can move a boat," Regan said. "She is a young rower and I look forward to seeing her progress through our program."

Keeping with the Pacific Northwest connection is Emily Holland, who currently attends Holy Names Academy in Seattle. Holland has been a member of the Holy Names varsity team for the last three years, sitting in the stroke seat for the varsity 4 that qualified for Nationals for the first time in five years. Holland has also rowed with the varsity eight that won the Head of the Lake in 2010 and competed the last two years at the prestigious Head of the Charles and San Diego Crew Classic regattas. Holland has also been active in ballet and volleyball and, in the summer of her junior year, was invited to attend a Global Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. and New York. She plans to study International Affairs, language, and cultures at LMU.

Holland

"Emily has a great work ethic, competitive intensity and is a strong leader," Regan said. "All these qualities will help Emily succeed here at LMU."

LMU resumes its spring competition schedule March 5 against UCLA.

- GO LIONS -