Women’s rowing welcomes 14 to Class of 2024
April 16, 2020 | Women's Rowing
Fourteen local, national and international student-athletes to join Badger rowing family next fall
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin women's rowing team, led by head coach Bebe Bryans, is proud to announce the signing of 14 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.
"Badger women's rowing is incredibly excited to announce our incoming class of 2024," head coach Bryans said. "This group of women spans both coasts, the South, our beloved Midwest and the beautiful city of Prague in the Czech Republic. With varying levels of experience, we are excited about the leadership, athleticism, academic prowess and FUN spirit that this class will bring to our pack! We feel strongly that these women will be impactful to Wisconsin rowing during their time here at UW-Madison."
Sophie Averkamp, Oshkosh, Wis. (Oshkosh North High School)
Oshkosh North High School Softball & Tennis
A varsity competitor in tennis and softball throughout her high school career, Averkamp helped her softball team to state twice including her freshman year and again her junior year where the team brought home Oshkosh North's first female state title. Alongside athletics, Averkamp has pursued her passion for traveling the world by experiencing a variety of countries and immersing herself in diverse cultures, therefore she plans to major in international studies. She is the daughter of Dave and Sarah Averkamp. Has one sister, Maddie, a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas, and two dogs.
Why Wisconsin?
"Not only did I choose UW for the educational opportunities, but I chose Wisconsin because ever since I was a young kid, I knew I wanted to attend 'Bucky Badger School'. I've always admired its representation of our state's atmosphere as well as the quality of education that Madison offers."
Alexis Benton, Medford, Ore. (St. Mary's School)
Rogue Rowing
As a rower for five years at Rogue Rowing, Benton served as team co-captain, attended the Junior National Team Development Camp in 2017 and 2018 and represented the Northwest in the inaugural Youth Regional Challenge.
Why Wisconsin?
"While on my visit to Wisconsin, one of the biggest things that stuck out to me was the pride that each student had in being a Badger. I knew from this visit that UW had the type of community I was looking for. I know that my coaches, instructors and teammates will push me to become that best student-athlete I can be."
Kelsey Best, Newton, Mass. (Newton North High School)
Community Rowing Inc.
Competed in rowing for three years in high school and fell in love with the sport. In her free time, Best enjoys working on cars.
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose Wisconsin because I love the supportive and competitive atmosphere of the team. I feel like it's a place that will help me grow and improve as both a student and a rower."
Nora Byrne, Milwaukee (Divine Savior Holy Angels High School)
Milwaukee Rowing Club
A four-year rower, Byrne stumbled upon rowing after not truly enjoying any other sport and fell in love with the feeling of being on the water. She loves the feeling after finishing a race or an erg piece, a feeling of pain mixed with pride, which kept her coming back for more.
Why Wisconsin?
"I love the team atmosphere at Wisconsin and the campus in general and cannot think of a better place to spend the next four years!"
Sarah Chan, Manhasset, N.Y. (Manhasset High School)
Manhasset Crew
Varsity coxswain for Manhasset Crew. At her most recent regatta, her boat placed 11th out of 48 in the Women's High School Fours at the Head of the Schuylkill. She has continuously excelled in the classroom; consecutively earning High Honor Roll, is a member the English and the Social Studies Honor Societies. She earned the Presidential Service Award, a Bronze for the National Latin Exam, Honorable Mention for the National Spanish Exam, was a member of the National Junior Honor Society in 2017 and received the Nassau All-County Art Exhibition Achievement Award.
Why Wisconsin?
"From the start, the Badger community had always felt so welcoming and spirited. After seeing the incredible support for athletes, how happy everyone was and how beautiful Madison is, Wisconsin seemed like the perfect choice for me. Badgers are extremely proud of their school, and I am so excited to be a part of that community!"
"This has been such an exciting process to go through, I've learned so much about myself as an individual because of it."
Caitlin Cowan, Los Angeles
Marina Aquatic Center
Cowan spent four years as a coxswain with the Marina Aquatic Center during high school. As a freshman, her novice boat won the Southwest Region and went undefeated. As a junior, she coxed her varsity to second at regionals and qualified for nationals. Before rowing, Cowan played soccer and softball. She is the daughter of Cathy and David Cowan. Has one younger brother, Robert, and two dogs. She intends on majoring in business.
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose Wisconsin because I fell in love with the rowing program and its family feel. I also liked Wisconsin's strong academics and school spirit."
Katherine Fay, Acton, Mass.
Bromfield Acton-Boxborough/Bare Hill Rowing
Fay spent 10 years as an Irish step dancer, three years in club volleyball as a middle hitter and five years rowing for Bromfield Acton-Boxborough (Bare Hill Rowing during the Summer). She rowed in the first boats in regional, national and international regattas (Head of the Charles, Royal Canadian Henley, Northeast youth regionals and US youth nationals).
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose Wisconsin because of the research opportunities, environmental science program and inspiring history of Wisconsin rowers. The team atmosphere and campus life were so welcoming I immediately wanted to be a Badger."
Jordyn Hanacik, Okauchee, Wis.
Milwaukee Rowing Club
Hanacik has been with the Milwaukee Rowing Club for four years. Besides her love for rowing, she enjoys reading, playing with her two dogs, hiking and spending time with her family. She loves to surround herself with nature, especially the water.
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose UW-Madison because of the course diversity, school spirit and my dream to be a Badger since the age of five. I am so excited to be a Badger!"
Morgan Jensema, Hortonville, Wis.
Hortonville High School
Jensema, a walk-on with no prior experience, competes in cross country, basketball and track. She loves being outside and staying active, including water skiing and other water sports, as well.
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose the University of Wisconsin first because of it's superior academics. Additionally, the chance to row for a Division I Big Ten school is an amazing opportunity. I love the close-knit family feel of the UW rowing team and the overall environment that was unlike anywhere else I'd seen. Lastly, the location of the campus being in a city but also right on the water is perfect for me."
Josefina Laznickova, Praque, Czech Republic
A two-time junior World Rowing Champion as seven-seat in the Czech junior women's eight, she also competed at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in the quadruple sculls.
"You are okay" was a sentence which my mom used to describe me. I laugh pretty hard but it is true. My personality is a mixture of more than just one adjective. I love to move and I can´t sit for a while. I need to release the energy somewhere. Since I was a kid, I was always doing some sport. First it was synchronized swimming and now I´m rowing. It is a perfect fit for me. To be in a collective full of great friends, who share the same passion, is just indescribable. I always enjoyed the training camps. Behind the hard work you got the fun after the training. I made some really good friends thanks to it. My other hobby is reading books. To sit down, relax and be fully absorbed by the story. After the training, where I was focusing on my physical side, I can release the wall blocking my imagination."
Why Wisconsin?
"It simply felt like the right place to be in. I was searching for a good combination of academics and sports and I have found it in the University of Wisconsin. Even though English is not my first language, after learning what support I will receive from the Wisconsin´s athletic department, I stopped being nervous and I know I can handle studying abroad. I know that I will always have a place to search for and receive help. The rowing staff is super friendly and it might sound like a cliché, but seeing the whole crew together was like a family gathering. That is something I want to experience and what I´m mostly looking forward to."
Lindsey Meyer, Tampa, Fla.
Plant Senior High School
Meyer began rowing seven years ago but realized she loved being a coxswain. Her sophomore year of high school, she became the coxswain for school's varsity eight. Meyer had since coxed her team to nationals for the past three-straight years and earned captaincy her senior year. She also competed in varsity cross country for two years, swimming and triathlons.
Why Wisconsin?
"I was honored to select UW because it's exceptional in both academics and athletics. I love how friendly everyone is and how beautiful the campus is, and I can't wait to become a Badger!"
Claire Willett, Eden Prairie, Minn. (Eden Prairie High School)
Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club
Willett spent her high school career with the Twin Cities Youth Rowing Club where she earned team captain her senior year. She intends to major in political science.
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose Wisconsin because of the energetic atmosphere and the diverse number of programs that are offered. I love that Wisconsin sends the highest number of students to the Peace Corps. When I went on my official tour, I found that Wisconsin rowers take immense pride in their sport and their school, and I could not be more excited to be able to contribute to such an amazing team and school."
Avery Wright, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater High School)
Minnesota Boat Club
Wright began rowing with Minnesota Boat Club three years ago and fell in love with the sport. She competed in varsity swimming at Stillwater High School for six years, becoming captain her senior year. Wright also swam competitively with St. Croix Swim Club since age 10 for six years.
Why Wisconsin?
"I was initially interested in Wisconsin because of its academics, especially its strong psychology program. When I first visited Wisconsin, I immediately fell in love with the beautiful campus and the city of Madison. Wisconsin is a place where I can really imagine myself thriving over these next four years and I can't wait for what's to come!"
Kieran Zalewski, Milwaukee (Divine Savior Holy Angels High School)
Divine Savior Holy Angels High School Rugby Team
A four-year junior varsity and varsity rugby player at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Zalewski helped her freshman and junior year teams to state, regional and national championships. In 2018, Zalewski was named to the All-State team. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, she played on the Wisconsin High School All-Star team winning two regional cup tournaments. She was named a Greater Metro Conference Scholar Athlete in 2018 and 2019. Most recently, Zalewski helped her team win the 2019 state championship in October. As a Wisconsin legacy, Zalewski is the 10th person in her family to attend UW-Madison where her brother, Cameron, is currently a sophomore. She attended one rowing camp at UW-Madison her freshman year.
Why Wisconsin?
"I chose Wisconsin because of the incredible opportunities it has to offer. I wanted to attend a school with a great computer science program and athletic opportunities, and Wisconsin has both. I love the campus and the overall feeling of it as well as the city. I knew I wanted to go to Madison from a young age because several of my cousins went here, and they absolutely loved it. I knew Madison was the only school for me during my official visit. I fell in love with the rowing team environment and the pride surrounding the team."
