Badger Rowers Named All-Americans
June 07, 2005 | Women's Rowing
A pair of Wisconsin women's openweight rowers, seniors Nikki Lennart (Milwaukee) and Shannon Gedman (Waukesha, Wis.), have been named to the 2005 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Pocock All-America Teams. Lennart becomes the Badgers ' first first-team pick, while Gedman was selected to the second team in the seven-year old recognition program.
Lennart, already recognized this spring as 2005 First-Team All-Big Ten and 2005 First Team CRCA All-Central Region, adds to her career accolades that also include 2004 CRCA Second-Team All-Central and 2004 Second-Team All-Big Ten. She rowed seven seat for the Badgers' 14th-place varsity eight at the 2005 NCAA Rowing Championships.
Gedman, 2005 team captain, was a 2005 First-Team CRCA All-Central Region selection and 2005 Second-team All-Big Ten choice earlier this season. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten pick as a nursing major, she sat two seat for the UW's varsity eight this year. Gedman is also the younger sister of former UW rower Tara Gedman.
Lennart and Gedman become the third and fourth CRCA All-Americans at Wisconsin since 1999. Walworth, Wis., native Kati Hope was the first Badger honored as a member of the 1999 second team. Last season, Menomonie, Wis., native Kari Harmon also made the second team.
The Badgers finished their season on May 29 in Rancho Cordova, Calif., by placing 12th at the 2005 NCAA Rowing Championships as a team and 13th in the varsity eight. The appearance was the third all-time for the UW since the event began in 1997 and the second-straight for the Badger rowing squad after a four-year absence from the national championships.
In all, 45 student-athletes were chosen across the nation to the 2005 CRCA Pocock All-America Teams, including 20 on the first team and 25 on the second team. The Badgers were one of 12 schools with multiple selections. National champion California led all schools with four first-team picks, while Virginia, Ohio State, Princeton and Yale each had three selections.
