Tuesday, June 16, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 20 GNAC women’s rowing student-athletes have been recognized with Scholar-Athlete Awards by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA).

The Scholar-Athlete Awards are one of two postseason honors presented in 2020 by the CRCA with the cancellation of the spring women’s rowing season and spring championships. To qualify for the honor, a student-athlete must be in their second year of competition or greater, be ranked performance-wise in the top 50 percent of their team or NCAA squad (whichever is smaller) at the end of the season and must have a 3.50 cumulative GPA or higher by the end of the fall semester or quarter.

Seattle Pacific led the GNAC’s five women’s rowing programs with 10 Scholar-Athlete Award selections. Central Oklahoma saw five student-athletes honored while Western Washington finished with four award winners.

The GNAC accounted for nearly half of the Division II student-athletes selected for Scholar-Athlete Awards. The 10 honorees for Seattle Pacific were the most of any Division II institution.

The CRCA also modified its annual All-America program to recognize athletes who would have had the potential to win awards had the season been completed. Coaches were allowed to nominate up to four student-athletes and one coxswain for All-America awards. The selections will not be officially recognized as All-Americans by the CRCA.

Central Oklahoma, Seattle Pacific and Western Washington each submitted five All-America nominees. The Bronchos are represented on the list by senior Eileen Anderson, junior Cameron Blunk, senior Megan Dwarshuis, senior Madisyn Kitchell and senior Shelby Wackerly. The Falcons are represented by junior Megan Chalfant, senior Gillian Edgar, senior Shelby Janes, senior Julienne Renne and junior Roxy Ruther. Western Washington's nominees included junior Maddie Bangasser, senior Angie Dexter, senior Adele Houston, senior Carly Lant and junior Jessica Smithlin.

Of the 22 total Division II All-America nominees, 15 were student-athletes from GNAC institutions.

COLLEGE ROWING COACHES ASSOCIATION
2020 Division II Scholar-Athlete Awards
Central Oklahoma: Indira Diaz, Megan Dwarshuis, Madison Hartenstein, Alison Staley, Bailee Thomas, Elina Varmia.
Seattle Pacific: LeeAnn Arrington, Megan Chalfant, Tamrya Clark-Hoogstrate, Kaitlin Dickinson, Shelby Janes, Samantha Kimmel, Danielle Johnson, Chloe Remley, Roxanne Ruther, Suzanne Stafford.
Western Washington: Maddie Bangasser, Anneka Bostrom, Angie Dexter, Rachael Schick.

All-America Nominees
Central Oklahoma: Eileen Anderson, Cameron Blunk, Megan Dwarshuis, Madisyn Kitchell, Shelby Wackerly.
Seattle Pacific: Megan Chalfant, Gillian Edgar, Shelby Janes, Julie Renne, Roxy Ruther.
Western Washington: Maddie Bangasser, Angie Dexter, Adele Houston, Carly Lant, Jessica Smithlin.