UCLA Rowing Signs 12 Standouts to National Letters of Intent

LOS ANGELES - The UCLA women’s rowing program has signed 12 standout student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, as announced this week by head coach Amy Fuller Kearney.

The Bruins’ 12 incoming rowers will enroll at UCLA for the 2015-16 school year and begin competition in the fall of 2015. UCLA’s latest group of signees includes four student-athletes from California, two from Connecticut, one from New Jersey, one from Massachusetts, one from Pennsylvania, two from Canada and one from Australia.

“We are just thrilled with this class,” head coach Amy Fuller Kearney said. “Their accomplishments are impressive and represent their character, integrity and passion for academic and athletic excellence. We intentionally sought out prospects who have the potential to succeed at this level, and more importantly, who understand it’s going to take a lot of hard work.

“These student-athletes, with the support of their families, have worked hard towards the goal of racing with UCLA on their uniform. Their journey here will begin next fall and I’d like to start by saying ‘Well done, Bruins!’ and welcome to the family.”

UCLA’s List of Signees

Katie Ashwood
Pittsburgh, Pa. (Winchester Thurston School)
In her fourth year of rowing for coach Laci Tompa at Steel City Rowing Club … serves as Steel City team captain … attended the 2014 USRowing Winter High Performance/ID Camp … finished first in the U19 2x and second in the U19 2x at the 2014 Canadian Henley Regatta … finished first in the U19 2x at the 2013 Independence Day Regatta finished first in the U19 4x at the 2013 Head of the Schuylkill … raced for Steel City at USRowing Youth Nationals in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Katie Blann
Redondo Beach, Calif. (Redondo Union High School)
In her third year of rowing for coach Zohar Abramovitz at Marina Aquatic Center … stroked the varsity 8+ to a sixth-place finish at the 2014 Head of the Charles Regatta … stroked the varsity 8+ and varsity 4+ that finished first at the Head of the American and Head of the Lagoon regattas … raced in the varsity 8+ at 2014 USRowing Youth Nationals … raced in the 2x at 2013 USRowing Youth Nationals.

Libby Costello
Mountain Lakes, N.J. (Mountain Lakes High School)
In her third year of rowing for coach Rob Welsh at Mountain Lakes Rowing Club … raced in the varsity 4+ at the 2014 USRowing Youth Nationals … won her team's Hammer Award in 2014 … won her team's Most Inspirational Award in 2013 … holds her team’s 2k record on the erg … stroked the Mountain Lakes varsity 4+ to a seventh-place finish in the Youth 4+ event at the 2014 Head of the Charles Regatta … stroked the 4+ that finished first at the 2014 Head of the Christina.

Lucy Jepson
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Carey Baptist Grammar)
Rowed for four years at Carey Grammar for coach Rachel Thomas … stroked the Australian Junior National Team 8+ that finished fifth at the 2014 World Junior Rowing Championships in Hamburg, Germany … stroked the Carey Grammar varsity 8 that finished first at the NSW State Championships in 2013 and second in 2014 and finished second at the 2014 Victoria Schools Head of the River … was named Captain of Boats, Senior School Sports Captain in 2014 at Carey Grammar … also participated in diving and track in high school.

Erin O’Donohue
Toronto, Canada (Branksome Hall)
In her fourth year of rowing for coach Scott Fleming at Branksome Hall with her sister, Lauren … finished first in the open 4+ and was second in the junior 4+ at the 2014 Head of the Welland Five Bridges Fall Classic … raced at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Head of the Charles Regatta ... raced in the J18 8+ in 2014 and the J16 4+ at the Henley Royal Regatta in England … finished first in the 8+ at the 2014 Stotesbury Cup … earned a bronze medal in the senior 8+ and 4+ at the CSSRA Championships in 2014 … finished first in the junior 4+ at the 2013 Stotesbury Cup … finished first in the junior 4+ and 2nd in the junior 8+ at the 2013 CSSRA Championships … raced to a first-place finish in the junior 8+ and finished third in the junior 4+ at the 2013 Head of the Welland … finished fourth in the junior B category at the 2013 Ontario Indoor Erg Championship.

Lauren O’Donohue
Toronto, Canada (Branksome Hall)
Also in her fourth year of rowing for coach Scott Fleming at Branksome Hall, along with her sister, Erin … finished first in the open 4+ and was second in the junior 4+ at the 2014 Head of the Welland Five Bridges Fall Classic … raced at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Head of the Charles Regatta … raced in the J18 8+ in 2014 and the J16 4+ at the Henley Royal Regatta in England … finished first in the 8+ at the 2014 Stotesbury Cup … earned a bronze medal in the senior 8+ and 4+ at the CSSRA Championships in 2014 … finished first in the junior 4+ at the 2013 Stotesbury Cup … finished first in the junior 4+ and 2nd in the junior 8+ at the 2013 CSSRA Championships … first-place finish in the junior 8+ and third in the junior 4+ at the 2013 Head of the Welland … finished third in the junior B category at the 2013 Ontario Indoor Erg Championship … secured the Novice of the Year award in 2012.

Natalie Puente
Greenwich, Conn. (Convent of the Sacred Heart)
In her fifth year of rowing for coach Liz Trond at Connecticut Boat Club (CBC) … raced in the CBC varsity 8+ that finished 10th at the 2014 Head of the Charles … attended the 2014 Southeast Juniors High Performance Camp where she raced with the top 8+ at USRowing Club Nationals … finished 29th at the 2014 Crash-B Erg Sprints … attended the 2012 USRowing High Performance Camp.

Megan Slabbert
Greenwich, Conn. (Greenwich High School)
Rows for coach Marko Serafimovski at Row America Rye … finished third in the youth 1x at the 2014 Head of the Charles … raced in the GB 4- and 8+ at the 2014 Coupe de la Jeunesse in France … finished first in the B final in the 1x (7th overall) at 2014 USRowing Youth Nationals representing Greenwich Crew … finished third at the 2014 Head of the Schuylkill Regatta … finished third in the junior B 1x at USRowing Club National Championships in 2013 … raced for the United States at the 2012 CanAmMex Regatta … raced at USRowing Youth Nationals in the 4x finishing seventh in 2012 and 10th in 2013.

Jillian Solberg
Torrance, Calif. (Chadwick School)
Currently in her fourth year of rowing for coach Zohar Abramovitz at Marina Aquatic Center … raced in the 8+ that finished sixth at the 2014 Head of the Charles … raced in the varsity 8+ and varsity 4+ that finished first at the Head of the American and Head of the Lagoon regattas … finished fifth at the 2014 Long Beach Erg Sprints … finished fourth in the JV 8+ at the 2014 Southwest Regional Championships … finished fifth in the JV 8+ at the 2014 San Diego Crew Classic.

Gray Strandberg
Berkeley, Calif. (Bishop O'Dowd High School)
In her fourth year of rowing at Oakland Strokes...coxed the Lightweight 8+ that finished first at the 2014 USRowing National Championships...coxed the JV 8+ to first-place finish at the 2014 San Diego Crew Classic...coxed the Oakland Lightweight 8+ that finished second at the 2014 Southwest Regional Championships...coxed the U19 four, U23 8 and Dash 8+ at the 2014 Canadian Henley Regatta.

Rachel Wayne
San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic High School)
In her second year of rowing for coach Susan Francia at San Diego Rowing Club … finished eighth in the youth 4+ at the 2014 Head of the Charles … finished second in the junior 4+ at the 2014 San Diego Fall Classic … rowed with the varsity squad as a novice in 2013 and had one of the top erg times on the team as a novice.

Carlisle Wheeler
Brewster, Mass. (Nauset Regional High School)
In her second year of rowing for coach Al Flanders at Orleans Sweeps and Sculls … stroked Nauset High School’s varsity 8+ crew at the 2013 Head of the Charles … secured Nauset Team MVP honors in her first season of rowing … also registered the top erg score on her high school team.