Feb. 27, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Seniors Amanda Polk (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Laura Pearson (Bloomington, Minn.) and Allison Marsh (Mashpee, Mass.) have been named captains of the 2007-08 Notre Dame rowing team. All three have rowed together in the varsity eight boat each of the past two seasons (2006 and 2007) and have been instrumental in Notre Dame advancing to the NCAA Championship team competition in both ’06 and ’07. In addition, they have led the Irish to three BIG EAST team titles.
In’06, Notre Dame completed the most historic season in school history with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championship as the Irish earned their first-ever berth in the team competition. The Irish varsity eight boat won the Petite Final and finishes seventh overall at the NCCAs. The crew began the season unranked, but at season’s end finishes fifth in the final Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA)/USRowing Poll to post the highest finish in school history after winning claiming the first-ever gold medals at the Central/South Region Championship and the gold medal at the BIG EAST Championship.
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Notre Dame earned its second consecutive team bid to the NCAA Championship and finishes 12th overall as the varsity eight crew garnered a 12th-place finish. After consecutive wins over five ranked boats, the Irish varsity eight boat climbed to third in the CRCA/USRowing poll and earned a final ranking of sixth. The varsity eight crew took the gold medal at the BIG EAST Championships for the second straight year.
Polk, a three-year member of the varsity eight crew, is the most accomplished rower in the program’s history and the school’s only three-time All-American. As a sophomore and junior, she was named a first team All-American by the CRCA after earning second-team honors as a freshman. Polk also is the only rower at Notre Dame to earn first-team CRCA all-Central Region honors three consecutive seasons.
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Marsh, also a three-time member of Notre Dame’s varsity eight crew, joined Polk as the only two Irish rowers to earn All-America honors as she was a second-team honoree by the CRCA following her junior year in ’07. She also garnered CRCA all-Central Region honors for the first time in her career as a first-team selection.
After rowing with the novice eight crew in her freshman season, Laura Pearson earned a spot with the varsity eight unit. She helped her novice eight crew to a second-place finish at the BIG EAST Championships in 2005. Following her junior season, Pearson copped second team CRCA all-Central Region honors.
“Amanda, Allison and Laura have been key leaders in the growth of our program the past three seasons,” head coach Martin Stone says. “They have been important in helping us get to the next level and set a great example for all of our young rowers. They have the respect of our coaching staff, but more importantly, have the admiration from their teammates. They set tone for our team and want nothing more than to get this team back to the NCAAs this season.”