Duke Rowing Signs 11 to Class of 2016

March 5, 2012
Durham, N.C. -- Duke women's rowing head coach Robyn Horner announced on Monday the signing of 11 students for the Class of 2016. The class includes Katie Dukovich, Nicole Favre, Hannah Hewitt, Dana Lerro, Lauren Miranda, Kaila Perez, Simone Pitre, Jeanette Llorens, Alexandra Stonehill, Catherine White, and Rachel Wolsfelt.
"What a fantastic group of rowers and coxswains we have joining the team next year," said Horner. "This class has tremendous capabilities to continue our upward trend onto the national stage."
Katie DukovichHometown: Hampton, PAProgram: Hampton High SchoolDukovich has won gold in every erg race she has competed in. She has rowed at USRowing Development and Selection Camp. Last summer, she was chosen to represent the US against Germany.
"Katie was a perfect match from day one," say recruiting coordinator Jim Lister. "Katie has ambition and drive and also a great sense of humor. We can't wait to have her on the team."
Nicole FavreHometown: Buffalo, NYProgram: Nardin Academy & West Side RowingFavre is a four-year varsity coxswain and two-time Coach's Award recipient for Nardin Academy. She has experience coxing for both her scholastic team and West Side Rowing Club. She has competed at Scholastic Nationals and the Canadian Henley.
"Nicole has the 'it' factor when it comes to being a coxswain," says Lister. "She is very mature in her racing calls and brings a high level of expectation for herself and her boat." "With our team size at its largest, Nicole's skills will be utilized immediately."
Hannah HewittHometown: Lake Brantley, FLProgram: Lake Brantley HSHewitt placed second in the junior eight at Scholastic Nationals and at the Stotesbury Cup in 2011. She was a member of the CanAmMex team for USRowing in 2010. Last summer, Hannah participated at selection camp for US Rowing.
"Hannah is a winner, she knows what it takes to be successful," says Lister. "Hannah has shown a lot of speed and success with both her high school team as well as on the junior national team."
Dana Lerro Hometown:Langhorne, PAProgram: Mount St. JosephLerro was selected Most Valuable Oarswomen during her sophomore year and has been in the varsity 8+ ever since then. She has won Philadelphia City Champs all three years while also capturing Stotesbury Regatta and Scholastic Nationals titles. Last year, Lerro was the stroke seat and led her team to a fifth-place finish at US Rowing Youth Nationals.
"Dana is the stroke seat of one of the top teams in the nation," states Lister. "We are excited to bring in a stroke seat with so much success. She is the type of rower that everyone can count on to get the job done."
Lauren MirandaHometown: Shenendehowa, NYProgram: Friends of Shen CrewMiranda has two consecutive seventh-place finishes at the Head of the Charles. She has also won a silver medal in the Junior 8+ at New York State Championships in 2010 and 2011 She participated at USRowing Selection camp for the summer of 2011.
"Lauren is a really tough competitor," said Lister. "She has the right attitude to go out and accomplish what she sets out to do. We look forward to having her competitive spirit added to our team."
Kaila PerezHometown: Daly City, CaliforniaProgram: Pacific Rowing ClubPerez is a multi-sport athlete in basketball, track and field, and cross country. She has recently completed a full marathon. She joined rowing her junior year and was awarded the fastest novice erg score.
"Kaila has recently found rowing and has applied her competitive spirit to excel early on in her career," commented Lister. "She is also her class president and exemplifies great leadership skills that we always like to have in our rowers."
Simone PitreHometown: Stony Creek, ON CanadaProgram: St. Catherine's Rowing ClubPitre is a coxswain for St. Catherine's Rowing Club and was recently nominated for the coxswain of the year award. Last summer, she was the coxswain for the men at the CanAmMex regatta. She has also won two Canadian Henley Golds in the U17 men's 8+ in 2010 and in the U19 men's 4+ in 2011.
"Simone likes to win and finds a way to do it," expresses Lister. "Her confidence will make her a great leader on our team. We are excited to have one of Canada's best coxswains driving our boats."
Jeanette LlorensHometown: Grosse Pointe City, MIProgram: Detroit Boat ClubLlorens was selected to the High Performance Team for USRowing last summer. She took third place in the intermediate 8+ at Club Nationals. She was also selected as a captain for her team this year.
"Jeanette has all the attributes to be a great rower here at Duke," says Lister. "She is very hard working and has a winning personality."
Lister adds, "She will have a big impact to both our boat speed and to our team culture."
Alex StonehillHometown: Norwalk, CTProgram: Norwalk River Rowing AssociationStonehill has been rowing since eighth grade and has tremendous experience in all boat classes. She has competed in prestigious events multiple times including the Head of the Charles and the Canadian Henley. She also came in fifth at the Connecticut Indoor Championships.
"Alex is going to excel here at Duke," says Lister. "For a junior rower, she has compiled an amazing range of skill in her experiences as a sculler and sweeper. Being a really good boat mover is what this sport is about and Alex can do this in many different boat classes."
Catherine WhiteHometown: Davis, CAProgram: Upper Natoma Rowing ClubWhite is a very accomplished multi-sport athlete in water polo, lacrosse, basketball, soccer and snowboarding. She is now in her second year of rowing. She competed in the 2012 Peninsula Indoor Rowing Championship and took seventh place.
"Catherine is a very successful competitive athlete that will apply her athletic abilities to rowing,” expresses Lister. “She will bring not only her competitiveness to improve herself, but also her value of teamwork that she has received from playing many other sports."
Rachel WolsfeltHometown:Charlestown, MAProgram: Boston Latin and Community RowingWolsfelt was a member of her high school's first bid to youth nationals. She has represented the US at CanAmMex in 2010 and is now rowing with CRI year round to expand her experiences with other top programs.
"Rachel is incredibly hard working," states Lister. "She is always taking on new challenges to make herself an elite rower. Her desire is matched with her work ethic and her ceiling is high."

Winter in Miami

We had a great trip in Miami. A senior said it was the best trip we have ever had. Besides being surrounded by our great team, I am sure weather and good training have a lot to do with the success of the trip. We are now back in Durham and still able to get to the water with the mild weather we are having. Our lake really doesn't freeze too often and we can row all year round. I sent pictures to our incoming freshman for next year to remind them that next year this will be their winter training trip!

If you click onto the YouTube site you will find a video of one of the varsity 8+s starts! Looking really good for January.

Team Ropes Course Challenge

Between the Gauntlet and the Zip Line, Duke Rowers were like kids on a playground. Check out the pics at this link: (You will have to get a Google Picasa Account to open the page if you don't already have one)

https://picasaweb.google.com/115167110314436499136/DukeUniversityWomenSRowing?locked=true&feat=email#

Incoming freshman competes at 2011 Worlds

2012 Olympic Rowing Course was host to the 2011 Junior World Championships. A fantastic course with close viewing. Congratulations to incoming Freshman Claire Vanelli for a 6th place finish in the most competitive women's event.

Theys and Japhet Selected to the USR U-23 Team

PRINCETON, N.J. – Duke rowers Alex Japhet and Emily Theys have been selected to the USRowing U-23 National Team and will represent the nation at the 2011 FISA World Rowing Under 23 Championships on July 21-24 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Read more at:
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=25940&SPID=2031&ATCLID=205181780&DB_OEM_ID=4200

School-Record Eight Rowers Named to All-ACC Academic Team

DURHAM, N.C. – A school-record eight Duke rowers were named to the All-ACC Academic Rowing Team, including two-time CRCA All-America Alex Japhet, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Wednesday.



Japhet, a senior Psychology major who has appeared on the All-ACC Academic Team for three straight years, was joined by junior teammates Tori Arendt, Joline Doedens and Rory Erickson-Kulas, and sophomore teammates Sarah Baker, Katie Burke, Justine Hong and Emily Theys.



Duke, ranked No. 24 in the final CRCA National Coaches Poll, had the second most selections to the All-ACC Academic Rowing Team, trailing only Boston College’s 11 honorees. Clemson followed with six selections, and NCAA Champion Virginia placed five on the team. North Carolina placed three student-athletes on the team, and Miami landed two.



Japhet and Erickson-Kulas were both named to the All-ACC team this year after leading Duke’s Varsity Eight to a season-ending upset over No. 20 Notre Dame, No. 25 Louisville and Oklahoma at the Oak Ridge Invitational and a sub-seven minute, third-place performance at the ACC Championship. Theys, Hong and Burke also competed in that boat, while Doedens, Baker and Arendt were fixtures of the 2V8 all season.



Arendt, Burke, Doedens, Erickson-Kulas, Hong and Theys also appeared on the CRCA Scholar-Athlete Team, which honors collegiate rowers who have at least sophomore status and maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 while competing in at least 75 percent of their team’s spring season.

Vannelli Named to Canada Jr. World Championship Team

DURHAM, N.C. – Incoming Duke freshman rower Claire Vannelli was selected to Canada’s 2011 Junior World Rowing Championship team and will represent her nation at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Eton, Great Britain, on August 4-7.

A native of London, Ontario, Vannelli will stroke the junior women’s four at the international event. A product of the Brentwood College Rowing Club, Vannelli has also represented Canada at the CanAmMex Regatta. She also finished third in the single at the Henley Regatta and won the single at the National Rowing Championships of Canada in September, 2010.

Vannelli is one of nine incoming freshmen for 2011-12 that join a Duke program that ranked 24th in the final CRCA Coaches Poll. The Blue Devils have plenty of momentum heading into next season after placing third at the 2011 ACC Championships and taking down a pair of ranked teams in the V8 during the final meet of the year.