BOSTON – The Boston University women’s rowing team is pleased to announce its five-member recruiting class for the upcoming 2006-07 season. Joining the five who signed National Letters of Intent will be 15 other experienced freshman rowers, as the 20 make up the team’s largest-ever recruiting class.
Joining the Terrier rowing team will be Sally Machin of Ottawa, Ont. This past year she tried out for the Canadian U23 team and was selected to the speed order selection camp with current Terrier Elene Brett-Evans. Further, during her senior year of high school, she placed second in the youth women’s four at the Head of the Charles. She also finished first in both the senior women’s pair at the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Association Championships and in the women’s pair at the Canadian Junior National Trials. Finally, at the Ontario Championships, she won both the U19 pair and the U23 eight.
Alaina Krumbach of El Segundo, Calif., joins the team from El Segundo High School. Her senior year she placed first at the Southwest Regionals in the quadruple scull and second in the pair scull, while finishing sixth at the youth nationals in the quad. Her junior year, she captained the crew and finished second in the single scull at the regional championships and 13th in the single scull at the National Invitational. She also earned gold in the pair at the California State-Sacramento Pre-Elite Camp and sixth in the quad at the U.S. National Rowing Championship.
“Sally and Alaina are both really technically proficient,” said BU Head Coach Holly Hatton, who will enter her 11th season at the helm. “I’m looking for them to help us either in the stern or bow of the boat because they have the racing savvy to lead the crew.”
Meredith Walsh of Richboro, Pa., joins the team out of Mount St. Joseph Academy in Flourtown, Pa. As a senior, she was the co-captain of her crew as the varsity eight had an undefeated season, including a win in the high school division at the Head of the Charles. She also competed in the New Jersey State Championships, the Philadelphia City Championship, the Stotesbury Championships and the Scholastic Rowing Association Nationals.
Ursula Opalka, a native of Seattle, Wash., was a member of the Mt. Baker Junior Girls Crew. There, she was the co-captain of the varsity eight boat that finished fourth at the North West Junior Regionals. She was also voted “Most Inspirational” by the Mt. Baker team. Her junior year she was ranked sixth in the 4k in national team testing.
“We’ll look to Meredith and Ursula for their size and strength,” said Hatton. “They’re going to bring some needed power into the engine room (middle) of the boat.”
Taryn Goba, a coxswain, out of Ancaster, Ont., joins the team from St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School. She was named Female Oarswoman of the Year at the club level and was a member of the gold-medal winning senior mid-weight eight at the CSSRA Championships, where she won bronze in the event the previous year. In addition, she took home the gold medal in the 115-lb. four at the Canadian Henley.
“Taryn is sort of a legacy,” said Hatton, referring to the fact that Goba’s cousin, Taylor York (’05), coxed the varsity for four years. “I’m very excited about her - I think she has the whole package as far as being a leader and a great technical coxswain with a very successful race record. We’re really looking for her to come in and fill the void that’s been there since Taylor left last year.”
