Pac-12 announces 2022 rowing all-conference honors

SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 Conference announced today the Pac-12 men’s and women’s rowing individual honors and All-Conference teams for the 2022 season, as voted upon by the Conference coaches.

California men's and Stanford women's rowing teams sweep the individual awards as California's Ollie Maclean was named Pac-12 Men's Rowing Athlete of the Year, while fellow teammate Gennaro Di Mauro was voted Pac-12 Men's Rowing Newcomer of the Year. The Bears' head coach Scott Frandsen was tabbed Pac-12 Men's Rowing Coach of the Year. On the women's side, Stanford's Azja Czajkowshi secured Pac-12 Women's Rowing Athlete of the Year honors, while fellow teammate Iris Klok was selected Pac-12 Women's Newcomer of the Year. Stanford's head coach Derek Byrnes coined Pac-12 Women's Rowing Coach of the Year.

PAC-12 MEN’S ROWING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Ollie Maclean, Sr., California (Auckland, New Zealand)

After being a vital member and leader for the Bears this season, Ollie Maclean has led California's varsity eight team to an unbeaten season at five seat. His leadership played a key role in helping California pick up wins against Santa Clara, San Diego, Oregon State, Boston University, Wisconsin, Northeastern and Washington. In the statement outing in Redwood Shores on April 23, against conference foe, then-ranked No. 3 Washington, the Bears reclaimed the Schoch Cup for the first time since 2017. The No. 1 varsity eight team in the nation showed exactly why they sit alone atop of the IRA Polls, as they picked up an open water victory at the Pac-12 Championships en-route to their 17th Conference title in program history. A Bear has now won seven out of the 13 Pac-12 Men's Rowing Athlete of the Year honors since the award was established in 2008. 

PAC-12 MEN’S ROWING NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Gennaro Di Mauro, Fr., CALIFORNIA (Sant’Anastasia, Italy)

In his first year, Gennaro Di Mauro has solidified the four seat for California's undefeated varsity eight team. Mauro has played a key factor all year long in for the No. 1 team in the nation, as the Bears' varsity eight team is now heading to the 2022 Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship which is set to take place at Mercer Lake in West Windsor, New Jersey on June 3-5. At the age of 19, Mauro raced at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the men's single sculls where he finished eighth. Internationally, he has also rowed three times with the Italian National Rowing Team at the World Junior Rowing Championships (2017, 2018, 2019) and also rowed for Italy in the European Rowing Championships, the World Rowing Cup, and the World Rowing Cup II. A California freshman has now claimed the Pac-12 Men's Newcomer of the Year for the second consecutive year, and ninth time in program history. 

PAC-12 MEN’S ROWING COACH OF THE YEAR: Scott Frandsen, California

California's Scott Frandsen claims his first-ever Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor in just his fourth season at the helm for the Bears. After leading the Bears to a No. 1 ranking in the IRA Polls and their first Conference championship since 2016, Frandsen has led California to a dominant season. Heading into the IRA Championships, Frandsen currently has his teams ranked nationally with a No. 1 ranked varsity eight team, a No. 2 ranked second varsity eight team and a No. 2 ranked third varsity eight team. At the Pac-12 Championships, the Bears placed first in four out of five races as California went on to secure their 17th Conference title in program history.  

PAC-12 WOMEN’S ROWING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Azja Czajkowski, Sr., Stanford (Chula Vista, Calif.)

After spending most of her career in sitting in the three-hole, Czajkowski is now sitting stroke for the varsity eight team. As sitting in both the three-hole and as stroke, she has helped the Cardinal to a stellar season. Czajkowshi has led Stanford to key victories over top competition at the San Diego Crew Classic, Pac-12 Invite and Big 10 Invite en-route to an unbeaten varsity eight team this season. At the Pac-12 Championships, No. 2 Stanford claimed four out of five victories on their way to securing Stanford's first Conference title since 2014. Czajkowski was named to the All-Conference team for the first time in her career, while becoming the sixth Cardinal in program history to be tabbed Pac-12 Women's Rowing Athlete of the Year.

PAC-12 WOMEN’S ROWING NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Iris Klok, Fr., STANFORD (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Stanford's freshman Iris Klok, a native from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, becomes the third straight Cardinal to be named Pac-12 Women's Newcomer of the Year. This season Klok has either sat six or in the five-hole for the varsity boat who finished undefeated this season. She has helped Stanford claim wins against some of the nation's top teams, including California, Washington, USC, Oregon State, Pennsylvania, SMU, Alabama, Brown and Ohio State. Internationally, Klok won silver at the 2021 Under-23 World Championships in the women's eight, while also winning winning gold at the 2019 Under-23 World Championships. The Cardinal will head to the 2022 NCAA Championships with three top-four seeds, as the No. 3 seed in the varsity eight, the No. 4 seed in the second varsity eight and the No. 2 seed in the varsity four. 

PAC-12 WOMEN’S ROWING COACH OF THE YEAR: Derek Byrnes, Stanford 

Since becoming the head coach for the women's rowing team in 2017, Derek Byrnes has led the Cardinal to four top-six finishes at the NCAA Championships. Last year, Stanford was the second-placed team at the NCAAs, which was their best finish since 2011. This season, Byrnes has led the Cardinal to an amazing season as each of their varsity teams are seeded in the top-four in the NCAA Championships. A No. 3 seed in the varsity eight, a No. 4 seed in the second varsity eight and a No. 2 seed in the varsity four. Byrnes led Stanford to this year's Pac-12 Championship for the first time since 2014, ending their seven-year runner-up streak. Five members from the Cardinal have been selected to the under 23 national team selection camp, with the opportunity to represent the U.S. at the 2022 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in Varese, Italy. This is the sixth time a Stanford women's rowing head coach has claimed the Pac-12 Women's Coach of the Year award, as it will be Brynes' first honor since taking the position. 

By claiming the Varsity 8 competitions at the 2022 Pac-12 Championships, the California men and Stanford women headline the 2022 Pac-12 Rowing All-Conference teams, which were also announced by the Conference office on Friday. 

Members of the All-Conference rowing teams are based upon each institution’s finish in the Varsity 8 race at the Pac-12 Championships, which were held at Dexter Lake in Eugene, Ore. The Conference champion provides four members of the All-Conference team, the second-place crew provides three members, and the third-place finisher provides two. All other participating crews receive one selection each.

2022 MEN’S ROWING ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

2022 WOMEN'S ROWING ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM