Wisconsin Openweights Sign Four for 2005-06
December 08, 2004 | Women's Rowing
Head women's rowing coach Bebe Bryans has announced that four student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. Theresa Shields (Detroit), Courtney Beal (Randolph, Mass.), Sarah Wrenshall (Pittsburgh) and Kylah Barbola (Berlin, Wis.) will each begin their Wisconsin openweight careers in the fall of 2005.
Shields, 5-10, will join the Badgers from Detroit, where she attends Grosse Ile High School. A rower for both her high school and the Wyandotte Boat Club, she finished second in the varsity eight at the 2004 Canadian Schoolboys Regatta in the senior eight. She also runs cross country, having competed in the state meet in 2001 and 2003. Finally, Shields is a competitive sychronized figure skater with Dearborn Figure Skating Club. She won silver with her team at the 2004 U.S. National Championships and placed ninth at the 2004 World Synchronized Team Skating Championship in Zagreb, Croatia this past April.
Beal, 5-11, comes to Wisconsin from Tabor Academy in Marion, Mass. A Randolph, Mass., native, she rows and plays basketball for the Seawolves. In recent results, her crew placed sixth at the 2004 New England Interscholastic Regatta in the second varsity eight.
Wrenshall, 5-7, calls Pittsburgh her home. Currently attending Oakland Catholic High School, she has rowed for the past three years with Steel City Rowing Club. Her junior varsity four placed fourth at the 2003 Scholastic Nationals in Camden, N.J. Wrenshall also boasts 10 years of swimming experience. A 200-, 500- and 800-yard freestyler and a 100-yard backstroker, she was a finalist at the Pittsburgh age group meet and the Western Pennsylvania High School championships. Wrenshall also competed two years as a lacrosse goalie.
Barbola, 5-11, is the lone Wisconsin native among the group. A Berlin, Wis., native, she joins the Badgers from Berlin High School after competing as a center on the basketball team and as a shot put and discus thrower with the track team.
The Badgers are coming off an 11th-place finish at the 2005 NCAA Rowing Championships and are in their first season under head coach Bebe Bryans. Wisconsin completed its 2004 fall season in early November, but resumes action on March 25 in Austin, Texas.
