Feb. 6, 2002

Manhattan, Kan. - The Kansas State women's rowing program has completed more than half of its indoor training season and continues to honor and recognize the individuals on the team who stand out as the hardest workers and the most improved.

The Wildcats return to action March 10, at home, against Creighton University at 8:00 a.m.

For the week concluding January 26, the team honored freshman recruit Angela Murray (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) as the most improved oarswoman of the week. This is the second time Murray has been named MIP.

Head Coach Jenny Hale feels that Murray's progress has been extraordinary since the fall.

"Angela is making the kind of changes that mean a true increase in boat speed," said Hale. "Not only is she a much more sound and stable rower, but she is also pulling much harder. Her performance on the ergometers this week consistently puts her at the top of her group."

Sophomore Elane Walker (Salina, Kan.) earned the team's workhorse award for the week. Sandra Chu, assistnat coach in charge of coxswain development, noted that Walker's desire to push into the varsity boat has motivated her this winter.

"Elane comes to practice ready to cox and row her heart out," said Chu. "She is the hardest working coxswain on the ergometer, something we ask the coxes to do to learn more about rowing. Additionally, she has been the most curious as well. She wants to know everything and asks the probing questions that have greatly increased her knowledge base. The coxswain's position is an intellectual one and Elane is stretching her mind in the direction of excellence."

For the week ending February 2, the Wildcats honored varsity sophomore rowers Lindsey Hahn (Derby, Kan.) and Amiee Finkbeiner (Russell , Kan.) as the team's most improved.

"One of the most important ways a rowing team gets faster is by pushing each other," said Hale. "Lindsey and Amiee have spent the past week banging heads and using their enormous technical changes to push each other to go faster. It is pure joy to watch them compete against each other."

The varsity did not have a workhorse for the week of Feb. 2.

On the novice level, the team recognized freshmen Bridget Anderson (Goddard, Kan.) and Jorie Spesard (Overland Park, Kan.) as the novice workhorses of the week. Head Novice Coach Kevin Harris picked these two because of their quiet yet dominant work ethic this week.

"Jorie has simply been working extremely hard - not just pulling hard but also trying to change," said Harris. "Her efforts are really paying off. Bridget has been out-pulling her teammates and a good portion of the varsity every day, as well."

Freshman coxswain and novice co-captain Melissa Holder (Atchison, Kan) walked away with the novice team's most improved award.

"Melissa has made some very good changes on the ergometer as a coxswain," said Harris. "She is trying to feel what her rowers feel and as a result, has improved both her rowing and her coxing."

The Cats will remain indoors for another two weeks before returning to their facility at Tuttle Creek.

--ksu--