SPORTS BRIEFS: Thursday, June 3, 1999

Brown wins NCAA Women's Rowing Championship The Huskies' varsity eight had won 33 consecutive races and the program had won two straight NCAA Women's Rowing Team Championships. But Brown ended both those streaks last weekend in the NCAA Women's Rowing Championships on Lake Natoma in Rancho Cordova, Calif. The Bears outsprinted Washington in the last 50 meters to down the Huskies in the varsity eight semifinals on Saturday and earned the team title with a varsity eight boat win in the Grand Final on Sunday. In the semifinal race, Washington took a quick three-seat advantage at the start, but Brown battled back to pass the exhausted Huskies boat with a late sprint, winning by just 1.4 seconds. Washington was not as close in the finals, as the Huskies finished in fifth place -- more than eight seconds behind the Bears. Brown was three points behind Virginia going into the varsity eight Grand Final. A Bears victory would tie them with the Cavaliers for first in team points, with the tiebreaker being highest finish in the varsity eight race. Brown's varsity eight boat rose to the pressure, easily outdistancing Virginia in the Grand Final. The Bears won in 6:46.89 -- more than three seconds ahead of the Cavaliers, who finished in 6:50.50. The title was the first team championship in any sport for Brown. The Bears and Virginia each had 56 points, while Washington was third with 42 and Princeton took home fourth place with 36 points. Brown had won the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing College Sprints two weekends ago, outscoring Virginia and Princeton. Penn also competed in Sprints, but finished with a mediocre 13th place showing in the 18-team field. The Quakers did not compete in the NCAA Championships; they petitioned for an invitation after a collision with a fishing boat at Sprints, but their request was denied. -- Jason Bodnar Penn alumnus Wallace Johnson elected to ITA Hall of Fame Former Penn tennis player and coach Wallace Johnson was inducted posthumously into the Intercollegiate Men's Tennis Hall of Fame last week. Johnson, who graduated from the University in 1911, won the 1909 NCAA singles' and doubles' titles at Penn and coached the Quakers' men's tennis team from 1929-1959. He compiled a career 221-149-1 record as a head coach and led Penn to its only Eastern Intercollegiate Tennis Association championship in 1940. Johnson also served as Penn's men's squash coach from 1929-54 and 1955-59. After his collegiate career at Penn, Johnson earned Top 10 national rankings nine times. He reached the finals in American singles' matches twice, losing to Maurice McLaughlin in 1912 and fellow Penn alumnus Bill Tilden in 1921. Johnson twice won the United States mixed doubles championship, teaming with Hazel Wightman both times. The Haverford, Pa., native excelled in four sports -- football, baseball, basketball and tennis -- prior to enrolling at Penn and becoming quarterback of the Quakers football team in 1905. He also won the National Interscholastic Tennis title in 1907. Robert P. Levy, assistant women's tennis coach and University Trustee, accepted the honor on behalf of Johnson, who joins Edward Dewhurst and Tilden as Penn alumni in the ITA Hall of Fame. -- J.B. Senior Stan Anderson leads track All-Ivy Team members Ten Penn track athletes were named to the All-Ivy team last week, giving the Quakers a total of 22 All-Ivy athletes competing in spring athletics. Senior Stan Anderson led the Penn honorees with recognition in two events. Anderson, who made the Second Team in the triple jump last year, was named First Team in the triple jump and Second Team in the high jump for the 1999 outdoor season. Joining Anderson on the men's First Team were junior Shawn Fernandes and sophomore Aaron Prokopec. Fernandes was honored in the 100 meter dash, while Prokopec cleared more than 16 feet in the pole vault. Two Quakers women were honored as First Team All-Ivy members. Senior Jessica Mitchell made the team after running 2:12.45 in the 800, while sophomore Bassey Adjah was honored after jumping further than 19 feet in the long jump. The women's 4x100 relay team, which set a Penn record of 47.41, earned Second Team honors. Members of the record-breaking relay were Sophomore JaJuan Gair, senior Vicki Moore, junior Richelle Clements and senior Shana McDonald-Black. Junior Matt Pagliasotti also made the Second Team in the hammer throw with a mark of 185'3''. Selections were based on performance in the Heptagonal Championships, held this year at Columbia's Lawrence A. Wien Stadium on the weekend of May 1-2. The men's track team finished third, while the women placed sixth in the New York City meet. -- J.B.