Photo by: Red Box Pictures
Farooq & UW Staff Take Top National Honors From CRCA
July 10, 2019 | Women's Rowing
Washington women's rowing coach Yasmin Farooq was named Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association National Coach of the Year and the UW coaches were named Coaching Staff of the Year today, as the CRCA announced its last round of postseason honors.
Farooq and her staff – assistant coaches Josh Gautreau, Maggie Phillips '17 and Julia Paulsen '18' volunteer coach Mary Whipple Murray '02; strength & conditioning coach Gabriela Quiggle; and student coach Meagan Smith '19 – led the Huskies to their second NCAA championship in the last three years, sweeping all three grand finals at the NCAA Regatta just as they did in 2017 – the only two times that's happened in the 23-year history of NCAA rowing. The 2019 title was particularly impressive, seeing as the UW varsity eight finished third at the Pac-12 Championships, but came back to win a thrilling NCAA grand final in record time.
Farooq and her staff won the same two awards in 2017 as well. Additionally, Farooq was named CRCA National Coach of the Year in 2009, when she coached Stanford to the NCAA title.
Senior Marlee Blue and junior Tabea Schedekehl were also named to the CRCA's All-Pac-12 Conference team, having both earned CRCA First-Team All-America last week.
"I'm really humbled. But I am even more appreciative of the people behind the scenes who played such a major role in our success this year," Farooq said. "Josh, Maggie, Julia, strength and conditioning coach Gabby Quiggle, volunteer assistant coach Mary Whipple, and student coach Meagan Smith are so deserving of Staff of the Year. Their endless optimism and belief in each person's potential provided fuel and fire on a daily basis. They were truly tireless, no corner was ever cut, and every possible option was explored in the effort to help this team achieve their best performance when it mattered most.
"Behind this team," she continued, "is a village of support—people who care deeply about this program—from our amazing athletic director Jen Cohen, our sport supervisor and mentor Erin O'Connell '96, and our ever-creative operations wizard Sarah Keller, to our incredible medical staff led by Dr. Hank Pelto, athletic trainer Steve Mosher-Stockinger and UW sports dietician Ema Thake. Our academic advisors Rob Post and Taylor Lockwood helped this team soar to academic excellence in addition to new records on the racecourse. Our hands-on compliance team led by Jackie Mynarski was available 24/7 to help ensure that the integrity of this team is never compromised.
"And you would never know about any of this," she added, "if it wasn't for our wonderful sports info chief Jeff Bechthold (who is not allowed to remove himself from this story).
"Most importantly, all of us are so grateful for the incredible women on this team who love to race and more importantly, to pull for one another," Farooq concluded. "They are the 'Women of Washington' — inspired by their predecessors, our amazing alums, who are the heart and soul of this program and who have set the high standards that we strive to uphold."
Farooq and her staff – assistant coaches Josh Gautreau, Maggie Phillips '17 and Julia Paulsen '18' volunteer coach Mary Whipple Murray '02; strength & conditioning coach Gabriela Quiggle; and student coach Meagan Smith '19 – led the Huskies to their second NCAA championship in the last three years, sweeping all three grand finals at the NCAA Regatta just as they did in 2017 – the only two times that's happened in the 23-year history of NCAA rowing. The 2019 title was particularly impressive, seeing as the UW varsity eight finished third at the Pac-12 Championships, but came back to win a thrilling NCAA grand final in record time.
Farooq and her staff won the same two awards in 2017 as well. Additionally, Farooq was named CRCA National Coach of the Year in 2009, when she coached Stanford to the NCAA title.
Senior Marlee Blue and junior Tabea Schedekehl were also named to the CRCA's All-Pac-12 Conference team, having both earned CRCA First-Team All-America last week.
"I'm really humbled. But I am even more appreciative of the people behind the scenes who played such a major role in our success this year," Farooq said. "Josh, Maggie, Julia, strength and conditioning coach Gabby Quiggle, volunteer assistant coach Mary Whipple, and student coach Meagan Smith are so deserving of Staff of the Year. Their endless optimism and belief in each person's potential provided fuel and fire on a daily basis. They were truly tireless, no corner was ever cut, and every possible option was explored in the effort to help this team achieve their best performance when it mattered most.
"Behind this team," she continued, "is a village of support—people who care deeply about this program—from our amazing athletic director Jen Cohen, our sport supervisor and mentor Erin O'Connell '96, and our ever-creative operations wizard Sarah Keller, to our incredible medical staff led by Dr. Hank Pelto, athletic trainer Steve Mosher-Stockinger and UW sports dietician Ema Thake. Our academic advisors Rob Post and Taylor Lockwood helped this team soar to academic excellence in addition to new records on the racecourse. Our hands-on compliance team led by Jackie Mynarski was available 24/7 to help ensure that the integrity of this team is never compromised.
"And you would never know about any of this," she added, "if it wasn't for our wonderful sports info chief Jeff Bechthold (who is not allowed to remove himself from this story).
"Most importantly, all of us are so grateful for the incredible women on this team who love to race and more importantly, to pull for one another," Farooq concluded. "They are the 'Women of Washington' — inspired by their predecessors, our amazing alums, who are the heart and soul of this program and who have set the high standards that we strive to uphold."
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