Two Former Wolverines Headed to Olympics with Team USA
6/4/2021 3:34:00 PM | Rowing
PRINCETON, N.J. -- Former University of Michigan rowing team members Ellen Tomek (2003-06) and Grace Luczak (2008) were named to the U.S. Olympic Team, it was announced Friday (June 4) by USRowing. Tomek will compete for the first time at the Olympic level in quad sculls (4x). Luczak will compete in the four (4+).
This marks the third Olympic bid of Tomek's storied career and her 11th time as a national team member for her home country. She has collected seven international medals in all. Tomek and partner Meghan O'Leary won silver at the 2017 World Rowing Championships and bronze at the 2018 World Rowing Championships. At Michigan, Tomek was a CRCA second team All-American and Michigan Rowing Athlete of the Year in 2006 and part of Big Ten Championship-winning teams in 2003 and '04.
Tomek will row with her 2008 and 2016 Olympics sculls teammate O'Leary (University of Virginia), as well as Alie Rusher (Stanford) and Cicely Madden (Brown).
Luczak will be heading to her second Olympics. She finished fourth in 2016 at the Rio Games in the pair (2-) with former Wolverine standout and current U-M volunteer coach Felice Mueller (2009-12) and has been competing with the U.S. Senior team since 2010. Most recently, she won gold medals at the World Rowing Cup II (2-, 8+) in 2018. Luczak earned one varsity letter as a Wolverine in 2008.
Luczak will be joined by three first-time Olympians in the four.
The Tokyo Olympic Games kick off July 23 and will conclude Aug. 8. Olympic rowing will be contested July 23-30, with all events being held at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo. Final selections to the 2020 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team are subject to U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee approval.
