Rowing hands out 2015-16 team awards
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LAWRENCE, Kan. – The University of Kansas rowing team and head coach Rob Catloth put the final touches on the 2015-16 year with the presentation of the team awards, including Coxswain and Oarswoman of the Year.
The Jayhawks concluded the season on Sunday with a third-place finish in the Big 12 Rowing Championship in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Before parting ways for the summer, KU gathered one last time as a team at the Kansas Rowing Boathouse, joined by their families.
Catloth presented the Oarswoman of the Year to senior Maggie Duncan and the Nikia Rosenberger Coxswain of the Year to senior Mary Slattery.
“We recruited Maggie out of high school as a rower and she has been great for our program,” Catloth said. “She rowed in the First Varsity Eight all four years of her collegiate career. Her first two years she rowed the bow, and the she moved up to stroking the boat the last two years. She has always raced at a high level and exemplified great leadership on our team.”
Slattery becomes the third Jayhawk to earn back-to-back Coxswain of the Year honors, joining the award’s namesake Nikia Rosenberger (1998, 1999, 2000), Katie Brosious (2008, 2009), and Elise Langtry (2010, 2011).
“Mary has been a rock in our program for a number of years,” Catloth praised. “She has shown great leadership in running the team and communicates at a very high level – something that is imperative for a great coxswain.”
Assistant coach Carrie Callen presented the Most Improved Novice Award to Peyton Anderson.
“Peyton was on the bubble of even making the roster in October, but really captured our attention every day that she been here,” Callen said. “She has shown huge strides in the erg. We never have to doubt her commitment to a practice or a race. She is very deserving individual for this award.”
Junior Jordan Helms was presented with the Most Improved Oarswoman by Callen.
“Jordan has been a much bigger contributor in how to move the boat – how to add boat speed, how to add length, which is always a challenge,” Callen said. “This year she translated her brute power into something that moves a boat very efficiently. She has a bright future in rowing our First Varsity Eight.”
Assistant coach Kelsey Arnold presented the Newcomer of the Year Award to Kayla Stubblefield.
“We recruited Kayla on campus last year and she was a strong rower from the beginning – finishing at the top of every erg test in the fall and she continued to improve throughout the season,” Arnold said. “She ended up in the Second Varsity Eight in the spring and narrowly missed a top-10 erg score in KU history by the end of the year.”
Arnold also presented the Outstanding Freshman Award to Kaitlyn Hartnett, who recorded a power-to-weight erg score of 16.38, which ties for the fourth-best finish in team history in weighted erg scores.
“Kaitlyn also started rowing this September and earned her spot on the team through walk-on tryouts,” Arnold said. “She raced in our novice boats in the fall, and since then she has moved up into the Second Varsity Eight this spring. She brings a lot of power to our team.”
The presentations also included a special recognition the senior class who missed the opportunity to walk the Hill on Sunday at KU graduation due to their commitments at the Big 12 Championship. Kansas rowing’s 2016 graduates included Jackie Adamle, Maggie Ducan, Angie Flores-Rodriguez, Casey Kelly, Briana Pena, Tessa Scott, and Mary Slattery.
It is a tradition in the Kansas rowing program to for the senior class to figuratively pass the torch to the next generation of leaders by choosing the Essence of a Jayhawk Award winner. The 2016 senior chose First Varsity Eight rower and All-Big 12 honoree Kaelyn Thierolf.
Team academic advisor Phil Lowcock, Ph.D, handed out two academic achievement awards for Senior Academic Achievement and “Class of 2000” Team Academic Award. The Senior Academic Achievement was presented to Duncan, Kelly, Pina, Scott, and Slattery for maintaining at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
The prestigious Team Academic Award was presented to student-athletes with a 3.7 GPA or higher. Those student-athletes included Kylee Dewey, Meghan Karoly, Kenzie Klaver, Kelly Koenigsman, Lexi Lanphere, Olivia Loney, Mallory Miller, Emily Ruble, Scott, Slattery, and Thierolf.
Kansas Director of Athletics Sheahon Zenger concluded the gathering by praising the rowing team’s stature in the community for “raising the bar” of academic excellence and expletory service.
KANSAS ROWING AWARDS
Senior Academic Achievement (Senior with a 3.0 GPA or higher)
Maggie Duncan
Casey Kelly
Briana Pina
Tessa Scott
Mary Slattery
Team Academic Award (3.7 GPA or higher)
Kylee Dewey
Megan Karoly
Kenzie Klaver
Kelly Koenigsman
Lexi Lanphere
Olivia Loney
Mallory Miller
Emily Ruble
Tessa Scott
Mary Slattery
Kaelyn Thierolf
Oarswoman of the Year Award: Maggie Duncan
Nikia Rosenberger Coxswain Award: Mary Slattery
“Essence of a Jayhawk” Award (presented by senior class): Kaelyn Thierolf
Most Improved Oarswoman: Jordan Helms
Most Improved Freshman: Peyton Anderson
Newcomer of the Year: Kayla Stubblefield
Outstanding Freshman: Kaitlyn Hartnett
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