May 27, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A school-record three members of Western Washington University's No.1-ranked varsity eight have been named to the 2008 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Pocock Women's Rowing All-America team announced today.

Recognized for the second straight year was stroke Staci Reynolds (Sr., Vancouver/Columbia River), while No.7 seat Metta Gilbert (Sr., Helena, MT) and No.4 seat Samantha Marikis (Sr., Republic) were selected for the first time.

All three will be going for a fourth straight national title this weekend at Gold River, Calif. (Lake Natoma). The Vikings have been ranked No.1 nationally all season long, receiving every first-place vote.

Western also had four rowers picked as CRCA Scholar Athletes - Gina Auriemma (Jr., Lake Forest/Shorecrest), Audrey Coon (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central), Madeleine Eckmann (So., Winthrop/Liberty Bell) and Miranda Steward (So., Kenmore/Inglemoor).

Auriemma is the No.5 seat in the varsity eight, Coon the No.2 seat and Eckmann the bow. Steward rowed in the bow seat of the second varsity eight.

Coon is a Spanish/elementary education major with a 3.95 grade point average (4.0 scale) and Auriemma is a planning and environmental policy major with a 3.94 GPA. Steward is an art major with a 3.94 GPA and Eckmann is taking a pre-engineering program and has a 3.53 GPA

2008 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Pocock All-America Team

BETHANY BRUN, MERCYHURST COLLEGE
Metta Gilbert, WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
MICHELE HANDZEL, MERCYHURST COLLEGE
MONICA HENDERSON, NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Samantha Marikis, WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
JENNIFER MYERS, UC SAN DIEGO
Staci Reynolds, WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
PAULINA WOJCIECHOWSKA, DOWLING COLLEGE
MONIKA ZDROJEWSKA, DOWLING COLLEGE
COX: STEPHANIE CHANG, UC SAN DIEGO