Rowing Holds Annual Awards Banquet – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Rowing
June 12, 2002
Columbus, Ohio– The Ohio State rowing team, which finished fifth at the 2002 NCAA Championships May 30-June 2, held their annual awards banquet Sunday (June 9) to honor its seniors and present four awards.
The coaching staff named Karla Fiserova (So., Jindrichuv Hradec, Czech Repub./Obchodni Akademie TGM) Most Valuable Rower for the 2002 season. Fiserova spent the year in the first varsity 8 boat for the second season, rowing in the seventh seat. The coaches also presented Ashley Orr (So., Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) with the Golden Buckeye Award, given to the rower who displays the greatest amount of spirit on the Ohio State team. Orr served as coxswain of the second varsity 8 for the second-consecutive season. Amanda Spires (So., Nutley, N.J./Nutley), a member of the second varsity 8 boat, was named Most Improved Rower while Jessica Gittings (Jr., Bellevue, Ohio) was named Novice Buckeye of the Year.
The team also took time to honor its five departing seniors. Conny Kirsch (Potsdam, Germany/Helmholtz Gymnasium) was a four-year member of the Ohio State first varsity 8, the 2002 Big Ten Rowing Co-Athlete of the Year and the first rower in Big Ten history to be named to the First Team All-Big Ten three times. She also is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time OSU Scholar Athlete.
Katie Buttine (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., Cold Spring Harbor) also was a four-year member of the Buckeyes’ first boat. She spent the season rowing in the third seat.
Alex Leslie (East Roseville, Australia/Syndey Girls School) spent four years as a member of the Ohio State second varsity 8 and is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time OSU Scholar Athlete. Angie Wendel (New Weston, Ohio/Mississinawa Valley) rowed for the second varsity 8 for three years after starting in the Buckeyes’ novice program. She was named Academic All-Big Ten and an OSU Scholar Athlete three times each.
Finally, Margot Shumway (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake), a fifth year senior, started in the novice program just last season and rowed for the second varsity 8 in 2002. She was named Academic All-Big Ten and an OSU Scholar Athlete in both 2001 and 2002.
The already heavily-decorated Buckeye rowing season may still see more awards coming its way. While Ohio State has already seen five of its team members named to All-Big Ten teams and head coach Andy Teitelbaum named both Big Ten and Central Region Coach of the Year, the All-Central Region and All-America teams are expected to be announced later this week.
2002 Team Awards
Most Valuable Rower: Karla Fiserova
Golden Buckeye Award: Ashley Orr
Most Improved Rower: Amanda Spires
Novice Buckeye of the Year: Jessiva Gittings
