June 7, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Irish rowing head coach Martin Stone has announced the signing of 11 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. All 11 will enroll at the University of Notre Dame in the fall of 2011. Joining the Irish in 2011-12 to continue their athletic and academic careers will be: Erin Boxberger (Overland Park, Kan.), Greer Cully (Duxbury, Mass.), Rose Doerfler (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Kelly Gawne (Burke, Va.), Sarah Hart (Westborough, Mass.), Becca Macdonald (Topsfield, Mass.), Victoria Ryan (Concord, Mass.), Ailish Sheehan (Kildimo Co. Limerick, Ireland), Lauren Tharp (Dayton, Ohio), Stella Willoughby (Olympia, Wash.) and Stephanie Winsch (Darien, Conn.).
Erin Boxberger – 6-0 – Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley North
Two-sport athlete at Blue Valley North High School, competing in both basketball and rowing … earned four varsity letters in basketball, starting three seasons and captaining the squad for two years … averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game … named to the KAMO all-tournament team as well as being named an all-eastern Kansas League second-team selection … rowed with the Kansas City Rowing Club for two years, competing in the Sunflower Games in both 2008 and 2010 … earned three first-place finishes and a second-place result at the Games … competed in the 2010 Club National Championships … member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society … daughter of Randy and Cherie Boxberger … sister, Megan, currently rows for the University of Kansas.
Greer Cully – 5-11 – Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury
Participated in two sports at Duxbury High School – ice hockey and lacrosse – while also rowing all four years for Duxbury Bay Maritime School … played ice hockey during her freshman year while playing lacrosse during her freshman and sophomore years, winning the league championship in 2009 … played with Massachusetts Elite club lacrosse team all four years of high school … rowed all four fall seasons while participating two spring seasons, being named captain of the squad during senior season … member of the National Honor Society as well as serving as her class secretary in Student Government … daughter of Robert and Kim Cully … older brother, Quinn, is a member of the Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team and older sister, Broghan, is a member of the Dartmouth College women’s lacrosse team.
Rose Doerfler – 5-10.5 – Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic
Three-sport athlete for Oakland Catholic High School, earning seven letters between cross country (two), swimming (three) and crew (two) … on record list at North Allegheny Indoor rowing race for her boat’s time in the lightweight race … helped her Oakland Catholic boat to a silver-medal finish at the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships … while rowing with the Three Rivers rowing Association, participated at the U.S. Rowing Club National Championships … member of the National Honor Society as well as the Joan of Arc Society of Scholars … National Merit Finalist … member of the Highest Honor Roll in every grading quarter of high school career … served as a member of the Student Council during sophomore year and with Student Ambassadors all four years.
Kelly Gawne – 5-10 – Burke, Va./Robinson Secondary
Two-sport athlete for Robinson Secondary School – swimming and crew – earning seven varsity letters in four years … member of the 2010 Virginia state champion varsity eight crew and placed seventh at SRAA Scholastic Nationals that same year … began rowing during her sophomore year and her junior varsity four finished second at 2009 Canadian Scholastic Nationals … also a member of the ’09 and ’10 Virginia state champion swim teams … in fall of ’10 acted as Drum Major for the Robinson Marching Band, and was selected to the Northern Virginia All-District Band for clarinet … member of the National Honor Society as well as the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society.
Sarah Hart – 5-11 – Westborough, Mass./Westborough
Began rowing at Upper Thames Rowing Club, Henley-on-Thames, in England during her seventh-grade year … rowed independently for two years after moving to the United States in 2006 … joined the Community Rowing Inc., varsity girls team in the fall of her junior year … stroked the winning varsity four at the New Hampshire championships and then helped her varsity eight boat finish second place at the Head of the Fish in the fall of 2009 … rowed four-seat in the varsity eight at the Youth Nationals that came in eighth place and competed in the 8+, 2x, and 4x at Club Nationals in the Spring and Summer of 2010, respectively … rowed six-seat in the varsity eight that won the girls youth category at the Head of the Charles and beat the previous record by nearly 13 seconds in the fall of ’10 … was a member of the Westborough High School marching band, symphonic band and concert choir … served as treasurer of the Model United Nations Club and is an active member of her church’s senior high youth group.
Becca Macdonald – 5-2 – Topsfield, Mass./Williston Northampton School
Three-sport athlete while attending Williston Northampton School … coxed school’s varsity crew “A” boat in the spring of 2010, serving as the team captain in the fall … boat finished sixth in New England … earned the Williston Sportsmanship Award in ’09 … member of varsity basketball team in ’08, being named MVP during that season … also competed in varsity soccer … elected member of the Athletic Committee in ’07-08 … named to the High Honor Roll … named an AP Scholar … received University of Rochester’s Excellence in the Humanities … member of the Writing Club … volunteered at Head Start in Lynn, Mass. … helped in the training of seeing-eye dogs in the area … helped with a concert to sponsor Haitian children … worked as a tutor in Spanish.
Victoria Ryan – Concord, Mass./Concord Carlisle
Played varsity ice hockey all four years while attending Concord Carlisle High School … began rowing during her sophomore year with Community Rowing, Inc., rowing one year with the novice boats and two with the varsity team … raced in the Head of the Charles during her junior and senior years and rowed in the Royal Canadian Henley and the USRowing club nationals during the summer of her sophomore and junior year and is planning on participating during the summer of ’11.
Ailish Sheehan – 6-1 – Kildare Co. Limerick, Ireland/Salesian College Copsewood
Competed in two sports, athletics (track and field) and rowing, while attending Salesian College Copsewood High School … started in track and field at the age of seven, earning several national titles … has competed on six occasions for Ireland in the shotput and javelin, winning four of those competitions … started rowing during her sophomore year with the St. Michael’s rowing club … in summer of 2010, rowed in the club’s junior 8- and 4-, helping the boat to second place in both at the National Championships … also coxed the Irish 4- crew that won in the Home International … in spring of 2011, rowed as the six-seat of an Irish Developmental junior squad 8 that placed 30th overall in the London Women’s Head … volunteered as a coach at a local athletic club for one year … partook in Youth Leadership and is trained in first aid.
Lauren Tharp – 5-10 – Dayton, Ohio/Vandalia-Butler
Rowed as a member of the Greater Dayton Rowing Association since her junior year of high school … competed at the Youth Nationals during junior year as a member of the quad … competed in the quad, single and double at the Club Nationals and Canadian Henley during the summer of 2010 … before beginning rowing, competed in both cross country (three years) and varsity basketball (two years) for Vandalia-Butler High School … member of the National Honor Society and served as the President of Student Government for three years.
Stella Willoughby – 6-2 – Olympia, Wash./Capital
While attending Capital High School, rowed with Olympia Area Rowing … enjoyed a successful 2010 year, helping the women’s 1x to the championship at the Northwest Junior Regionals … also helped 1x to a sixth-place finish at the Youth Nationals in the Grand Finals … earned a nomination to the CanAmMex National Team after the successful year … in 2011, helped the women’s 1x and 2x to first-place finishes at the Covered Bridge Regatta in Eugene, Ore. … also competed as a varsity swimmer for Capital for two years … named an Academic All-American.
Stephanie Winsch – 5-9 – Darien, Conn./New Canaan
Rowed all four years for the New Canaan High School Crew Club, captaining the team during her senior season … finished third in the women’s junior B 4x at the Club National Championships in 2008 … named the Most Improved Rower in 2010 … captured the ’10 USRowing Northeast Regional Championship in the women’s 4x … stroked the quad that placed third at the ’10 USRowing Youth National Championships … 13th in the women’s youth 2x at the ’10 Head of the Charles … officer of the St. John’s Youth Group … cousin, Tom Longo, ran track for Notre Dame.
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