Michigan Inks 10 During Signing Period
12/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
Dec. 1, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan rowing team announced on Thursday (Dec. 1) that 10 student-athletes have signed a national letter of intent.
The signing class includes Anneka Allard (Seattle, Wash.), Kate Burns (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Grace Collins (Ridgefield, Conn.), Tori del Valle (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Nora Epler (Portsmouth, N.H.), Megan Hinkle (Troy, Ohio), Annika Hoffmann (Belmont, Victoria, Australia), Emma Luniewicz (Walpole, Mass.), Charlotte Powers (Fairfield, Conn.) and Kendra Sanders (Torrance, Calif.).
"We could not be more pleased with the incoming class for next year," said head coach Mark Rothstein. "Along with these athletes who have signed letters of intent, we have others committed who are also going to make a very positive impact on our program. This class is filled with talented rowers and coxswains, strong students, and great people. This group is going to add to and uphold the culture that we have worked hard to establish. I am so excited to welcome this group to the Michigan Rowing family!"
Here is more information on each signee:
Anneka Allard
• Attends Nathan Hale High School
• Sixth place in the varsity eight at the 2016 Head of the Charles
• Won the JV8 at the NW Nationals in 2013-14
• U.S. Junior National Team Selection Camp and Development Camp in 2013-14
• Trains with Greenlake Rowing Club after previous years with Seattle Rowing Center and Pocock Rowing Center
• Also played soccer her freshman year of high school
• Competed in the 2013 Gothia Cup in Sweden as a soccer player
• Father, James, played soccer at Columbia University
• Applied to the College of Engineering
• Attends Community High School
• Two-year captain
• Trains at the Washtenaw Rowing Center
• Member of the 2016 USRowing Junior National Team and 2016 USA CanAmMex team
• First place in the varsity 2x and 2- at the Midwest Scholastic Championships as a junior
• Won the 8+ and 4- races at the CanAmMex Regatta in 2015-16
• Fifth place in the 8+ at the U-19 Junior World Championships in 2015-16
• Gold in the 4+ and 2- at the 2014-15 Midwest Scholastic Championships
• First place in the U-17 4x and 3rd in the U-19 4+ at the Canadian Scholastic National Championships her sophomore year
• Also a swimmer as a freshman
• Applied to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts
• Attends Ridgefield High School
• Rows for Connecticut Boat Club
• Senior captain
• First place in the 4+ at the Head of the Fish and the San Diego Fall Classic in 2016-17
• Placed second at the North East Regionals in the 4+ in 2015-16
• Started rowing as a sophomore, winning the U-17 8+ at the North East Regionals and placing second in the novice eight
• Two-year starter for the undefeated freshman and JV soccer teams
• Competed as a sprinter for the JV track team
Tori Del Valle
• Attends Mira Costa High School
• Trains with the Pennsylvania Athletic Club and Marina Aquatic Center
• Placed ninth at the 2016 Head of the Charles
• Two top three finishes in the U19 8+ and 4+ at the Independence Day Regatta
• Fourth place in the U19 8+ and 4+ at Club Nationals
• Won the Novice Eight at the 2015-16 San Diego Crew Classic
• Won the N4+ and took second in the N8+ at the Southwest Regionals her junior year
• Raced with the varsity eight as a novice and placed eighth at Youth Nationals
• Played volleyball first two years of high school and competed with track & field her sophomore year
Nora Epler
• Applied to the College of Engineering
• Attends Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H.
• Went to Portsmouth H.S. as a freshman
• Rows for Community Rowing Inc.
• Placed sixth at Canadian Henley in the 8+ and fifth at Club Nationals in the 4+ in 2016
• First place at the 2015-16 NEIRA's and second at Scholastic Nationals
• Played tight end and defensive end for the JV football team as a sophomore
• Also participated in basketball and volleyball for four years and track & field for one season
• Attends Troy Christian
• Trains with Greater Dayton Rowing
• Senior captain
• Competed at the High Performance Camp, placing second and third in the 8+
• Second place in the single at the Head of the Hooch in 2016
• Fourth place in the single and 14th in the 4x at the 2015-16 Youth Nationals
• Second in the single at the 2015-16 Club Nationals
• Fifth at Crash B's
• In 2014-15, she took fifth with the 4x at Youth Nationals and won the Indoor Midwest Regionals
• Also played basketball her freshman year
• Applied to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts
• Attends Kardinia International College in Greelong, Victoria, Australia
• Trains with Barwon Rowing Club
• Placed fourth in the JW2x at the 2016 Junior World Championships in Rotterdam
• Three medals at the 2016 Australian National Championships, including gold in the Schoolgirls 1x
• Gold medals in the U19 1x, Schoolgirls 1x and U192x at the Victorian State Championships in 2016
• Claimed fourth place in the JW8+ at the 2015 Junior World Championships
• Bronze medal in the U19 4+ at the 2015 Victorian State Championships
• Finished the 2014 Victorian State Championships with a gold in the U17 4x and a bronze in the U17 1x
• Earned gold in the D-Grade 4x to go with bronze in the U17 4x at the 2013 Victorian State Championships
• Applied to the School of Kinesiology
• Attends Ursuline Academy
• Rows for Community Rowing Inc.
• Placed 20th in the youth 8+ at the Head of the Charles in 2016
• Third place in the U19 8+ at the 2015-16 Royal Canadian Henley Regatta
• Fourth place in the 8+ at the Northeast Regionals and 11th at Youth Nationals in 2015-16
• Won the novice eight race at the 2014-15 Northeast Regionals
• Also a swimmer for two years in high school and played softball as a freshman
• Sister, Christina, is a gymnast at Cornell
• Attends Fairfield Ludlowe High School
• Went undefeated in the fall of 2016, winning the Youth 8+ at the Head of the Charles
• Swept through the 2015 season, breaking the Head of the Charles course record and winning the 8+ at Youth Nationals
• Won the Lightweight 8+ at the 2014 Youth Nationals
• First place in the U17 and U19 4+ at the 2014 Club Nationals
• Second in the lightweight 8+ at the 2013 Youth Nationals
• Sisters, Samantha (George Washington) and Lily (Syracuse), were also coxswains in college
• Attends West High School
• Rows with the Marina Aquatic Center Junior Rowing club after competing with Long Beach Junior Crew from 2014-16
• U.S. Junior National High Performance Team member, placing third in the U19 8+ at Club Nationals
• Won the 2016 Head of the Lagoon with the 8+
• Placed ninth at the 2016 Head of the Charles in the 8+
• Second in the 8+ at the 2016 Head of the American
• Played volleyball as a freshman in high school
Players Mentioned
