The prestigious All American recognition honors athletes who have contributed significantly to their teams while meeting high standards in competition and training. The All-American teams also serve as the foundation for the selection of Athlete of the Year Finalists—with one ultimate Athlete of the Year selected from each division. This award is given to one rower or coxswain in each division who exemplifies the pinnacle of competitive achievement, character, and leadership.
The below list contains the finalists for the Athlete of the Year award.
Katherine George, Princeton University
“Katherine has been an incredible role model, a dedicated teammate, and an outstanding student-athlete. Her hard work and character inspire everyone around her and she has smashed every record in this boathouse while doing it! Through it all, she’s remained humble, always putting the team first and leading by example.” – Coach Lauri Dauphiny
Iris Klok, Stanford University
“Iris’s abilities as a rower and competitor speak for themselves but that’s not what separates her. At her core, she is an amazing teammate and leader. I have always valued her we-before-me mindset and relentless passion for her teammates. Two weeks into Iris’s first year at Stanford, she mentioned her spiritual side, how she believed in signs and all the signs she was seeing meant she didn’t belong at Stanford. Without hesitation, I informed Iris, that I was also a spiritual person, but all my signs were saying Iris belonged at Stanford. Four years later and I am still happy my signs prevailed because has been the consummate Stanford student-athlete.” – Coach Derek Byrnes
Mia Levy, Yale University
“Mia puts the team first; she lifts up her teammates and elevates everyone around her. On top of that she is the purest rowing athlete I have coached, she has physiology, strength, natural length and her blade skills are second to none. She is the total package!” – Coach Will Porter
Annabel Oertel, Indiana University
“Bella is a grad transfer from Cal Berkeley. She came to IU last year, and while it was a good year for her, I knew, and more importantly I think she knew as well, that she was capable of a lot more. When she came back this fall for her final season, she was a different athlete. She set personal goals of breaking the team 2k and 6k records and having a greater personal impact on the Varsity 8 and team as a whole. She achieved all of those, setting new team erg records in both the 2k and 6k distances, and ended up stroking the varsity 8 to its highest finish ever at the NCAA championships. But it wasn’t always easy. Through her efforts each day, she showed the younger athletes on the team, that while every workout may not be perfect, it is the continued effort to do the best they can on any given day that allowed an athlete to achieve their goals. Though her time with our team was shorter than most, her impact will last for a very long time.” – Coach Steve Peterson
Alex Pidgeon, University of Tennessee
“Alex shows up everyday with a standard – not just for herself, but for Tennessee Rowing. As captain, she holds the team accountable and leads with a determination to put Tennessee at the top. There’s no doubt she pushes herself to be her best, but it’s the culture she’s helped build that will leave a lasting impact.” – Coach Kim Cupini
Aisha Rocek, University of Washington
“Aisha Rocek is one of those rare humans who is able to contribute to any team environment, not only as an athlete, but as a leader and trusted advisor to her teammates. She’s a two-time Olympian who is ever committed to learning and growing, and sharing her love of the sport of rowing. Despite her many accolades, she is one of the most humble rowers I’ve encountered in 40+ years in this sport. She’s eager to gain new perspectives and view every situation with an open mind. With Aisha, you know you will always get her very best effort, an honest answer to any question, and an unwavering commitment to supporting and elevating everyone around her.” – Coach Yaz Farooq
Caroline Schmitz, Brown University
“Caroline is a gutsy racer, she always gives it her all and makes sure her teammates come with. Throughout the highs and lows she holds her chin up and gets the job done.” – Coach Tessa Gobbo-Zimmerman
Marg Van der Wal, University of Texas
Our team would not have accomplished what it did this year without the skill, power, and effort of Marg van der Wal. Marg turned herself into one of the strongest athletes in our program’s history, and she developed into a terrific leader and role model for everyone. Additionally, she is one of the highest academic performers in our conference as she earned the SEC scholar-athlete of the year. It is an absolute pleasure to work with her and watch her row.” – Coach Dave O’Neill
Sarah Kinlocke, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
“Sarah embodies everything you hope for in a student-athlete: relentless work ethic, unwavering commitment to her teammates, and a competitive drive that lifts everyone around her. The fact that this is her first year on the team makes her impact even more remarkable — she stepped in and led with maturity and purpose from day one. Her contributions have been profound, both on and off the water, and this recognition is a testament to the legacy she’s already begun to build. I couldn’t be more proud of her.” – Coach Grant Maddock
Kealey Scott, Cal Poly Humboldt
“Kealey has been a team leader from her first moments on campus five years ago. She is an excellent student, athlete, and teammate and has been integral to our team’s success.”- Coach Matt Weise
Taylor Wall, Western Washington University
“Taylor is the kind of student-athlete every coach hopes to have on their team. She is a dedicated and hardworking individual, both on and off the water. Taylor consistently sets high standards for herself and leads by example. She shows up each day with a can-do attitude, inspiring those around her. Always willing to go the extra mile, she truly embodies the spirit.” of commitment, positivity, and perseverance.” – Coach Courtney Moeller
Madelin Aho, Skidmore College
“Madelin “Maddie” Aho has been a three year captain, two-time CRCA Pre-Season Athlete to Watch, two-time All Liberty League athlete, two-time MVP, and now a CRCA All-American. Maddie walked into the office at the beginning of the year and asked “What will take to be an All American?” The answer was PR and lead the time to levels we have reached before. Not only did she PR on the erg, but stroked the varsity 8+ to 8th place at NIRCs, a program high. Beyond the accomplishments, she’s the heart of the team. Her energy, enthusiasm, and love of competition not only raised her performance, but everyone around her.” – Coach Valentin Emanuel
Isabel Mikheev, Williams College
“Isabel led our team this year as co-captain and stroke of the varsity 8+. She pushed every physical and mental limit possible in pursuit of finding the best in herself and the team. She led from a place of trust and love that unlocked her abilities and inspired everyone around her. She earned herself top ranks on our all-time erg record boards and backed it up with impressive speed on the water, an undefeated regular season, and a 2nd place finish at the NCAA Championship. I feel so fortunate to have coached such an amazing student, athlete, and leader.” – Coach Paula Thoms
Rose Tinkjian, Tufts University
“Rose Tinkjian exemplifies the spirit of true leadership and resilience. As captain and back-to-back NCAA champion she’s been stroke seat of the varsity 8 for both titles, her humility and kindness uplift everyone around her, inspiring her teammates to reach new heights. A true athlete of the year!” – Coach Lily Carbeck
Cate Barry, Princeton University
“Cate Barry is one of the most gifted athletes I have ever worked with. She is a true natural talent, but what really sets her apart is her work ethic and dedication to her team. She is the first to put oars out for a morning practice, first to offer words of encouragement in the boat during a practice, and always looking to put in extra work in the tanks, on the erg, or running path. Her love for her team is evident every day of the week. She leads first and foremost through her commitment and passion.” Coach Paul Rassam
Isabella DeLeo, Georgetown University
“Bella is one of those athletes that truly wants to do anything to make her boat and her team faster. She was the stroke seat of our Varsity 8+ all year until, following our final regular season competition where we came out ranked 5th overall for the season, I decided to make a change for our upcoming championship. Bella was switched to 7 seat and took the move back with immense grace. She gave our new stroke seat the confidence she needed to take our boat to the next level, and their partnership ultimately led to a podium finish of third place at the IRA National Championship. Bella is going into her Senior season as Captain for the second year running and is re-defining what it means to be a leader on our team. I cannot wait to see what this next year has in store for her.” – Coach Abbey Piaget
Rianne Wagner, University of Wisconsin
“Rianne is an exceptional individual and athlete. She is one of the toughest competitors I’ve had the privilege of coaching, consistently striving for excellence in everything she does. Rianne leads by example and serves as a constant source of inspiration to her teammates. Graduating with a 4.0 GPA, she exemplifies the ideal balance of academic and athletic excellence. I wholeheartedly believe she is highly deserving of this recognition by the CRCA.” – Coach Hodge Habibovic
