June 5, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame sophomore rower Molly Bruggeman (Dayton, Ohio) has been named a 2012 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) First Team Pocock All-American. She becomes the first Irish All-American since Amanda Polk earned the distinction in ’08.
In order to earn a spot on an All-America team, the nominee must meet all eligibility rules as defined by her institution, row in 75 percent of the current spring season’s races in the varsity boat and the head coach of the student-athlete’s institution must be a member in good standing of the CRCA.
The All-American’s are then selected to first or second teams based on the strength of the institution’s varsity eight within the country, coaches comments and 2,000m erg score. Bruggeman is one of 23 members on the first team and the lone representative from the BIG EAST.
Bruggeman, who posted Notre Dame’s fastest erg time this season with a mark of 6:57.9, earned first-team, all-region distinction at the end of May after rowing with the varsity eight for the second straight season. While not rowing during the BIG EAST Championship, Bruggeman helped the eight boat earn important race victories over Clemson and Penn during the spring regular season in helping the Irish qualify for the NCAA Championships for the first time since `07. She and the rest of her boat finished 16th at NCAAs with a Third Final time of 6:40.33.
Bruggeman becomes the seventh different Notre Dame women’s rower to be named a CRCA All-American, joining the likes of Polk (’05-’08), Allison Marsh (’07), Sarah Palandech (’06), Julie Sobolewski (’06), Natalie Ladine (’04) and Ashlee Warren (’02), and represents just the third first-team selection alongside Polk and Ladine.
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