Ephs Compete at US National U23 Pre-Elite Athlete Identification Camp

PRINCETON, NJ - US Rowing Women’s U23 Pre-Elite Athlete Identification Camp in Princeton, NJ invited four women from the Williams College crew team on Saturday, November 7.  These women, all sophomores, took the initiative to travel to Princeton for the weekend to compete with top athletes from east coast collegiate rowing programs, mostly DI rowers, on both the ergometer and the water for U23 or Senior National Team potential. 

Dorothy MacAusland ’12, Jane McClellan ’12, Lindsay Olsen ’12, and Kate Shaper ’12 started their day in Princeton with a one minute ergometer test to determine anaerobic capacity and peak power and followed with a thirty-minute test to evaluate aerobic capacity.  The Williams women worked and pushed together throughout the exciting experience.

From these scores, national team coaches Tom Terhaar, Anne Kakela, and Laurel Korholz chose Olsen and Shaper to be boated, a huge honor and recognition from the 2008 Olympic gold medal coach and staff.  “The coolest part about the camp was being put in a boat with seven other incredibly strong women" remarkied Olsen.  "It was cool to see how fast the boat could move through the water.”

Instead of taking a break at the end of a successful fall season, the women jumped at the opportunity to attend the camp, arranging and paying all the arrangements themselves. Justin Moore, Eph head coach who also coached the gold-medal US Junior Women this summer, was extremely proud of these four women, for not only competing with some of the best women from the best programs in the country but also for taking the initiative to “venture forth and step outside their ‘comfortable place.’” 

The Ephwomen showed that they could “pursue rowing seriously without sacrificing outstanding academic opportunities, such as study abroad and tutorials” and be a distinct and successful alternative to great DI rowing programs.

The Ephs officially went out of season November 1, but continue to train throughout the winter under the strong leadership of the senior class, captains, and coxswains in preparation for the spring season in addition to fundraising for their spring break trip.  The Ephs travel to Myrtle Beach, SC on March 19 for a two-week training trip before attacking the spring racing season against Holy Cross and UNH on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA.