Trio of Former Wolverines Named to Olympic Teams
6/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Rowing, Olympics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Three alumnae of the University of Michigan women's rowing program will be competing for their respective countries at the 2008 Beijing Olympics this August. Heather Mandoli (Kelowna, B.C.) and Janine Hanson (Winnipeg, Man.) were named to Canada's Olympic squad on Friday (June 27). Ellen Tomek (Flint, Mich.) was tabbed to compete for Team USA on June 5. The rowing events at the 2008 Olympic Games begin Aug. 9 and run through Aug. 17. Finals are set for Aug. 16-17. The competition will take place at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.
Mandoli and Hanson are the first two U-M alumnae to row for Canada's Olympic Team. Tomek is the third former Wolverine to earn an Olympic bid for the United States. Kate Johnson and Kate MacKenzie rowed at the 2004 Athens Olympics, with Johnson earning a silver medal in the eight.
Mandoli, a member of the class of 2004, will be in the Canadian women's eight. The boat was a late qualifier for the Olympics, needing a top-two finish at the 2008 FISA Final Olympic Qualification Regatta in Poland last week -- Canada placed first to sew up its bid. On June 1, the Canadian eight picked up a bronze medal at the 2008 Rowing World Cup stop in Lucerne, Switzerland. Mandoli has rowed in Canada's eight the past two years. She competed at the 2006 and 2007 FISA World Championships. At Michigan, Mandoli earned All-America honors and was the Big Ten Rower of the Year in 2004. She was in U-M's first varsity eight for three seasons.
Hanson, a member of the class of 2006, is slated to row for Canada in women's quadruple sculls. She helped the boat clinch an Olympic bid last year at the 2007 FISA World Championships when it placed fifth. The Canadian quad has not competed at any of the three 2008 Rowing World Cup events this year -- the boat was forced to withdraw from the Lucerne stop due to injury. At Michigan, Hanson was an All-Big Ten first team honoree in 2006. She was in U-M's first varsity eight for three seasons.
Tomek, a 2006 graduate, is going to row in the women's double sculls for the United States. At April's 2008 U.S. National Team Selection Regatta #2, she and her partner, Megan Kamoe, took first place. They then took fourth at the 2008 Rowing World Cup Regatta in Lucerne to finalize their Olympic bid. In 2007, Tomek stroked the U.S. women's quadruple sculls boat at the FISA World Rowing Championships in Germany. At Michigan, Tomek was in the first varsity eight her senior year, earning All-Big Ten second team recognition.
Additionally, Brett Sickler (Los Gatos, Calif.), class of 2005, will be traveling to China as an alternate. She was in Team USA's eight that won back-to-back gold medals at the 2006 and 2007 FISA World Championships. She helped the U.S. eight win gold at the 2008 Rowing World Cup Regatta in Lucerne in early June. Sickler spent three seasons in U-M's first varsity eight, collecting All-Big Ten second team laurels as a senior.
Lisa Hass (Fargo, N.D.) is going to be a part of Team USA's athletic training staff. She will work with rowers and triathletes and assist with other medical duties. Hass has worked with U-M's rowing program for the past 11 seasons. She has been a member of USRowing's medical support staff during four of the last six FISA World Rowing Championships. Most recently, she was a trainer at the 2007 Pan American Games.
Matt Hughes (Ludington, Mich.), a 2004 alumnus of the U-M men's club team, is going to row for Team USA in the men's quadruple sculls. Ken Jurkowski (New Fairfield, Conn.), a volunteer assistant coach for the Wolverines in 2007-08 and a Cornell graduate, will represent the U.S. in the men's single sculls.
Three Wolverines Qualify for U.S. World Championship Squad
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. -- One current Wolverine -- senior Karen Colwell (Pawcatuck, Conn./Stonington HS) -- and two former Wolverines -- Stesha Carle (Long Beach, Calif.) and Sarah Trowbridge (Guilford, Conn.) -- will row for the United States at the 2008 FISA World Rowing Championships, which will be held July 22-27 in Linz/Ottensheim, Austria. Competitors at World Championships will not participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Colwell, Carle (class of 2006) and Trowbridge (class of 2005) were joined by Esther Lofgren in the USRowing Training Center four that won its final race at the 2008 U.S. World Championships Trials on Thursday (June 26) in West Windsor, N.J. The quartet defeated its USTC teammates by 0.066 seconds to win the race in a time of 6:45.039.
Competing for USA at the FISA World Championships will be a first for all three Michigan alumnae. Colwell, who was U-M Rowing's Athlete of the Year in 2008, previously attended USRowing's Under-23 national team selection camps in 2005 and 2007. Carle rowed for USA's Under-23 team in 2005 (four, gold medal) and 2006 (pair). Trowbridge won a gold medal (pair) and a silver medal (quad) with USA at the 2007 Pan American Games.
Players Mentioned
