June 18, 2001
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame head rowing coach Martin Stone today announced the signings of Kristin Henkel (Manchester, Conn.), Kristen Mizzi (Riverview, Mich.), Ann Mulligan (Norwell, Mass.), Katie Sedun (Lake Oswego, Ore.), Elizabeth Specht (Berkeley, Calif.) and Meredith Thornburgh (Indianapolis, Ind.) to national letters of intent. All six are eligible to begin rowing for the Irish in the fall.
The six are the first incoming freshmen to receive grants-in-aid from Notre Dame. In December of 2000, Irish athletic director Kevin White announced that all sports at Notre Dame would receive the maximum number of grants-in-aid allowed by the NCAA by the 2004-05 academic year. According to current NCAA guidelines, rowing is eligible for 20 grants-in-aid per season.
“I think each person will have a solid impact on our program. They all have participated in a number of races and will carry that experience over to our roster. We look forward to all six of them joining our roster and helping us achieve our next goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships,” Stone said.
The following is a brief look at each incoming freshman:
Kristin Henkel (Manchester, Conn./Miss Porter’s School): The 5-11 Henkel was a three-year letterwinner at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Conn., rowing on the starboard side. She was a member of the first varsity eight crew her junior and senior seasons, sitting in the second seat as a junior and the bow as a senior. As a sophomore, Henkel received the Most Effective Novice Award, rowing in the third shell. Henkel was also a four-year letterwinner in soccer and basketball. She earned all-state honors in soccer as a junior and a senior and was team co-captain and most valuable player in 2000-01. Henkel also was a team captain of the basketball team her junior and senior seasons. An honor roll member, Henkel played the bassoon in the school orchestra, was a tour guide, head of the ski club and a member of Kol Echad, a religious diversity club.
Kristen Mizzi (Riverview, Mich./Riverview): Mizzi rowed at Riverview High School in Riverview, Mich. She can row on both the starboard and port side of the boat and will add great depth to the Irish roster. The 5-9 Mizzi was also a swimmer in high school.
Ann Mulligan (Norwell, Mass./Norwell): Rowing on both sides of the boat, the 5-8 Mulligan has rowed with Community Rowing, Inc., since 1997. During that time, she has won a number of races including the Northeast Championship in 2000, the BB&N Invitational from 1998-2000, as well as the Hanover Invitational, the Mother’s Day Regatta and the Riverside Sprints. This summer, her crew placed third at the 2001 US Rowing National Youth Championships where she rowed in the third seat on the starboard side. A member of the Norwell High School honor roll, Mulligan coaches the “Learn to Row” program at the Viking Rowing Club and is an active member of Habitat for Humanity. She also is a religious education teacher.
Katie Sedun (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lake Oswego): Sedun rowed in the sixth seat for Oregon Rowing Unlimited this season, with her crew placing fifth at the 2001 US Rowing National Youth Championships. A 5-8 port rower, Sedun was invited to try out for the junior national team at the US Rowing Junior Selection Camp this summer.
Elizabeth Specht (Berkeley, Calif./Berkeley): Specht, a 5-10 rower who can stroke from either side of the boat, is a four-year letterwinner at Berkeley High School, competing in the varsity eight shell the past three years. She has also rowed in the varsity four and the pairs boat in high school. Specht was invited to the Southwest Junior National Development Camp the past two years, finishing third in 2001. She is also a two-time champion at the Long Beach Invitational and won the pairs race this year.
Meredith Thornburgh (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf Jesuit): Thornburgh is an eight-season member of the Indianapolis Rowing Center’s junior rowing team, where she was a member of the varsity eight crew for five seasons. The 5-8 honor student can row on either side of the boat and was the winner of the Sheila Cornelius Spirit Award given to the team’s most valuable rower. An excellent athlete, Thornburgh also swam at Brebeuf Jesuit High School and has competed in three triathlons in the past year. She is a member of National Honor Society and was a four-year member of student council, serving as junior class president. She was a member of the Brebeuf Drama Club where she choreographed two musicals and was part of the mock trial team where she was team captain and was invited to participate in the National Youth Leadership Forum on Law.