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Duke Rowing Signs Seven to NLI
1/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
DURHAM, N.C. ? Duke head rowing coach Robyn Horner announced the signing of seven high school seniors to the Blue Devil rowing team.
Rory Erickson-Kulas, Caroline Fox, Laura Guth, Kathryn Lowry, Stephanie Rosser, Kathy Smithwick and Amanda Southall will all join the program in the fall of 2008. The group hails from seven different states from Iowa to Massachusetts and represents the ninth recruiting class in program history.
Erickson-Kulas comes to Duke from Naugatuck, Conn., where she has been a member of Exeter High School's first 8+ squad since her sophomore year and recently led the boat to the 2007 NEIRA championship. That crew went on to finish fourth at the 2007 USRowing Youth Nationals and made it to the semifinals of the 2007 Women's Henley.
“Rory has great rowing fundamentals and will bring tremendous athleticism and race experience,” Horner said of Erickson-Kulas.
Fox hails from Rosemont, Pa., where she rows for an upstart program at Radnor School. Fox is billed as a tremendous athlete who relishes in her role as a team leader.
“Caroline is an exceptionally strong, raw talent,” Horner said. “As her skill level rises to her power level, she will become a force to be dealt with.”
Guth, of Bettendorf, Iowa, is a member of the Quad Cities Rowing Club where she specialized in the 4x. With Quad Cities, Guth led her boat to a second-place finish at the USRowing Nationals in addition to the 2007 Midwest Rowing 4x Championship.
“Laura is determined and has an impressive work ethic,” Horner said. “The secret to her success is great boat feel and movement.”
A native of Wall, N.J., Lowry will attend Duke after an impressive prep career at the Ranney School and with the Navesink Rowing Club. With the Navesink Club, Lowry was part of a 2x that finished third at the 2007 USRowing Youth Nationals. She also attended the 2007 US Junior National Selection Camp where she was selected for the High Performance Team and traveled to Germany to compete with that squad.
“Kathryn knows what it takes to train and compete at the highest level, and her tremendous power can be utilized for speed,” Horner said.
Rosser brings a wealth of experience to the Blue Devil program from Newton, Mass., and has competed at the highest level of junior rowing with the National Powerhouse CRI club. With CRI, Rosser sat seven-seat in the first 8+, leading the team to a first-place finish at the 2007 Head of the Charles and second-place honors at the 2007 Canadian Henley.
“Stephanie knows how to compete and succeed every day in a very competitive environment,” Horner said. “With her never-say-die attitude she will challenge her teammates every day to keep up.”
Smithwick, of Louisville, Ky., is a member of the first 4+ at Middlesex School. Smithwick led her crew to the finals of the 2007 Women's Henley Regatta along with a sixth-place finish at 2007 NEIRA.
“Kathy is a tremendous leader as well as a great athlete,” Horner said. “Her confidence and enthusiasm are infectious.”
Lastly, Amanda Southall is a newcomer to the sport after joining the Bolles School squad during her junior year. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Southall is a raw talent who has all the tangibles to excel at Duke.
“Mimi is a new rower, but has all of the assets that will turn her into a major player for Duke: height, strength, leverage and a great team attitude.,” Horner said.
The Duke rowing team will open the spring season on Feb. 16 with a meeting against cross-town rival North Carolina on Lake Michie in Bahama, N.C. The team will then take on Louisville and Notre Dame on March 10 before heading to Austin Texas for the Longhorn Invitational from March 21-23.
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