Current, Former Badgers Make U.S. National Rowing Team
August 28, 2002 | Men's Rowing
Senior Beau Hoopman and alumni Matt Smith, Eric Mueller, Ryan Torgerson and Katie Hammes have been selected by USRowing for the U.S. National Team that will compete at the 2002 FISA World Rowing Championships, Sept. 15-22 in Seville, Spain.
Hoopman already competed for the United States this summer with the men's eight at the Under-23 World Championships in Genoa, Italy, where he won a gold medal. He will race with the men's four without coxswain at the world championships in Spain.
Smith, a 2000 Wisconsin graduate and a part of the Army's World Class Athletes program, will race for the U.S. in the men's lightweight eight boat. He previously represented the United States on the 1997 and 1998 Nation 's Cup teams, as an alternate for the 1998 World Championships and as a rower at the 1999 World Championships.
Mueller, a 1996 Olympic silver medalist and 2000 Olympic participant, will row with the men's eight. Mueller won gold with the eight at a World Cup event in Lucerne, Switzerland earlier this summer. He spent the 1998'99 season on the Badger men's rowing staff as an assistant coach before departing to train for his 2000 Olympic appearance. Mueller rowed for the UW from 1989'93.
Also in the men's eight is Ryan Torgerson, who rowed at the UW until 1994. A recent gold medalist in a World Cup event in Lucerne, Switzerland with the men's eight, Torgerson raced at the 2001 World Championships, also in Lucerne, Switzerland, in the four without coxswain.
Hammes, a 2000 Wisconsin graduate and All-Big Ten rower with the women's openweight program, makes her first appearance on a national team. Hammes will row as a member of the women's four without coxswain.
