University Southern California Trojans
Women's Rowing Finishes Successful Season
June 21, 1999 | Women's Rowing
June 10, 1998
LOS ANGELES -- The women's rowing team, in its first season as a scholarship program, won a national championship race at the recent NCAA event, held in Gainesville, Ga, on May 29-31.
The Women of Troy won the gold medal in the varsity four race, beating second-place Brown by three seconds, or one boat length.
"Last year, we were maybe the 10th or 11th best team on the West Coast," USC Coach George Jenkins said. "And now we've won a race at the nationals. That's a huge step. We're excited about the future."
After the decision was made a year ago to fully fund all women's sports with scholarships, Jenkins was able to award three for the 1997-98 season. Next fall, he will be able to give out eight, and by the fall of 1999, the program will award the NCAA-maximum 20 scholarships.
There are three races at the national championships: varsity four, varsity eight and second varsity eight. USC only qualified for the varsity four. Washington won the overall title and Brown took second.
"Next year, we hope to qualify in at least two events," Jenkins said. "Our success should help in recruiting."
USC's winning rowers included coxswain Lisa Bartoli, stroke Ivelina Boteva, three-seat Annelisa Gross, two-seat Kasey Ryan and bow Rebecca Moneymaker. Ryan is the daughter of Mike Ryan, starting guard on USC's national championship football team in 1972.
"I felt we had a chance to do well in this race," Jenkins said. "But when Washington defeated us in a semifinal race, it was the best thing that could have happened. It was a wakeup call for our rowers, and they reached our potential in the final."
Washington placed fourth in the varsity four final.
