Although the Penn women's crew team is already well done with its season, having competed in its final race on May 12, the accolades are still rolling in.
Last week, the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) announced the recipients of its annual All-Region Awards. This is the fourth year that CRCA has honored specific athletes.
Four members of the Red and Blue were selected against a pool of impressive competitors. Penn senior Kate Magee, junior Sarah-Jane Irwin and junior Kristin Mauks were selected to the Mid-Atlantic Region first-team.
Quakers' junior Sara Stevenson was named to the Mid-Atlantic Region second-team.
The All-Region teams are chosen by the CRCA head coaches. The coaches make their decisions based on the nominee's team record, the strength and difficulty of schedule, crew rank, coach's comments and the nominee's 2,000-meter ergometer score.
The three Quakers selected to the All-Region first-team will also be in the running for All-American honors, which will be decided at a later date.
Irwin, a Norwich, CT, native, was also designated as a National Scholar-Athlete by the CRCA. Athletes chosen for this award must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and must participate in at least 75 percent of the season's races in the varsity boat.
All four rowers helped the Penn squad one of its better overall finishes in recent history. Although the Red and Blue posted solid times throughout the season, the Quakers finished with an average 5-5 cup race
record for the season.
In the 2001 season, Penn posted its first back-to-back winning record since 1981-82, finishing 6-4. It was also the first time since 1993 that the Quakers tallied a winning record against Ivy League opponents.
However, Penn did improve in the most important race of the season. The Red and Blue notched an eighth place finished at Eastern Sprints -- the culminating meet of the squad's season. The Quakers moved up one spot after a ninth place finish in 2001. It was Penn's highest finish since the 1992 season.
At the beginning of the fall season, the Quakers set explicit goals. Their top priority for the season was to receive a bid to the 2002 NCAA Rowing Championships. However, at Eastern Sprints the Red and Blue were 0.6 seconds shy of a qualifying time.
Next season, the Quakers will attempt to build on what they have already established. Penn will return five members of the varsity eight boat for the 2003 season and will be looking, once again, for a bid to the national championships.
