Michigan Adds Nine Student-Athletes for 2005-06 Season
6/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's rowing head coach Mark Rothstein announced today (Thursday, April 21) the signing of eight student-athletes to national letters of intent. Laura Dunn (Andover, Mass./Pomfret School [Conn.]), Ashley Jones (Oakland, Calif./Skyline HS), Rebecca Larson (Winchester, Mass./Winchester HS), Julia Nelson (St. Catharines, Ontario/St. Catharines SS), Kari Stenbakken (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake HS), Kate Strzalkowski (St. Catharines, Ontario/St. Catharines Collegiate), Caitlin Trumble (Dalkeith, Western Australia/Presbyterian Ladies' College) and Robin Weber (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep) will join the Wolverines for the 2005-06 school year. In addition, Barbara Wagner (Chestnut Hill, Mass./Winsor HS) has also been added to the class of 2009.
"Were excited about this class," Rothstein said. "I think that we have good athletes coming in, good students, and most importantly just really good kids, really good people. I think that they are going to be a big part of this program for the next four years."
A coxswain, Dunn hails from Andover, Mass., and attends the Pomfret School in Connecticut. She competes for the Pomfret School in its first varsity boat. She also participates for Thompson Boat Center in Washington, D.C. She has taken part in the U.S. Rowing National Team development camp.
"Were definitely losing some good coxswains, and were hopeful that Laura can step in and help fill those shoes," said Rothstein.
Jones is a native of Oakland, Calif., where she attends Skyline high school. She rows for her club team, Oakland Strokes. She was in the Strokes top boat when they won the San Diego Crew classic this season. In 2004, she was in the Oakland Strokes shell that won a National Championship. Jones also participated in the U.S. Rowing Junior National Team selection camp.
"Ashley is stroking the eight out there, and her crew won the national championship last year when she was a junior, so were definitely looking for her to make in impact next year," noted Rothstein.
Larson is from Winchester, Mass., and goes to Winchester high school. She rows for the Community Rowing club in Boston. At the 2004 national championships she finished in second place in the women's open four. Also in 2004, her crew finished first in its classification at the Head of the Charles and the Northeast Regionals.
"Rebecca hasnt been rowing for all that long, but I think that she shows a lot of potential," said Rothstein. Shes a hard worker, and I think shes going to really do well."
Nelson is the one of two Canadians in the class of 2005 who is from St. Catharines, Ontario. She attends St. Francis secondary school. She rows for the St. Catharines Rowing Club. At the 2004 Canada Summer Games she finished first in the junior women's quad and the junior women's eight. At the 2004 Canadian Henley her crew was first in the junior women's quad and second in the junior women's eight. At the 2004 English Henley her boat was second in the junior women's double. In 2003 Nelso was selected as the Junior B Oarswoman of the Year for the St. Catharines Rowing Club. At the 2003 Canadian Henley she was first in the junior B women's quad and second in the junior B women's double.
"Julia just won the single at Canadian Schoolboys," Rothstein said. "Actually, she and Kate Strzalkowski had a photo finish in the single at the Canadian School Boys. Shes going to do really well. Shes a good athlete, shes a really good kid and were excited about her."
Stenbakken is from Sammamish, Wash., where she studies at Eastlake high school. She rows out of the Sammamish Rowing Association. She raced with the U.S. Junior National Team in Banyoles, Spain during the summer of 2004. In 2003, her varsity eight boat finished first at the San Diego Crew Classic.
"The biggest thing about Kari is I think shes going to be a lot of fun to coach," said Rothstein. "She has some good ability, and were excited."
Also from St. Catharines, Ontario, is Strzalkowski, who attends St. Catharines Collegiate. While she rows for her school's team, she also competes on the St. Catharines Rowing Club. She was the Senior A Oarswoman of the Year for the St. Catharines Rowing Club in 2004. At the 2004 Stotesbury regatta she took first in the single event. Her junior women's quad took first at the 2004 Canadian Henley. Finally, she placed third at the 2005 Ontario erg championships.
"Kates a great kid," Rothstein remarked. "I think she has a really good athletic background, not just in rowing, but in other sports. She comes from a great family, and were just really excited to have her."
Trumble will be the Michigan rowing program's first student-athlete from Australia. She is from Dalkeith, Western Australia. Her school was Presbyterian Ladies' College where she rowed in the team's varsity eight boat for three years. Trumble is currently a member of the Swan River Rowing Club. She has been selected to the Western Australia Institute of Sport Talented Athlete Rowing Squad for two years. She was also chosen as one of eight rowers from her state to compete in the Australian Youth Cup.
"She contacted us and was really excited about Michigan," said Rothstein. "We did some research and shes done really well both on the water and on the erg. With many of these kids you dont know until they get here, but were definitely excited about her potential."
Weber, from Chicago, Ill., is enrolled at St. Ignatius College Prep. She rows for the St. Ignatius College Crew. In 2004 she helped her junior women's eight to a third-place showing at the U.S. Rowing National Championships. In 2003 her crew took first in the junior women's eight 16-and-under division at the U.S. Rowing National Championships.
"Robin we think is going to be an excellent collegiate rower," Rothstein noted. "Shes got some development, shes a good athlete, she has good erg times, but most importantly she has great desire. So, were excited about Robin."
Wagner hails from Chestnut Hill, Mass., where she attended Winsor high school.
"Barbara rows for a great program out of Boston," Rothstein said. "She was in their first boat last summer. She's a great student, wants to study astrophysics and we're really happy to have her in our program."
"All of them will contribute in some way," Rothstein said. "To sum it up, were really excited about this class. Having lost 12 seniors, we need these kids to step up and contribute. Everythings wide open for next year, so its exciting for everybody. Well have a whole new team next year, and these kids are going to be a big part of it."
The Wolverines lost 12 student-athletes (10 rowers and two coxswains) to graduation following the 2005 season.
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
