May 28, 2002

The University of North Carolina rowing team handed out team awards recently at its season-ending banquet. Following are the 2001-02 season's outstanding performers, along with commentary from coach Joel Furtek.

Outstanding Novice Performer in Strength and Conditioning: Kim Lyko
This award, selected by Greg Gatz and Jodi Hopkins, recognizes Kim's hard work in the weight room. Although she is smaller than most of the team, and in her role as coxswain her strength is not a direct boat-mover, Kim works as hard as any athlete on the team when she hits the Kenan weight room. Her bench-press and squat performances rival many of our experienced rowers. She sets a sterling example of excelling in all that you do.

Rookie of the Year: Julie Domina
Julie is the prototypical Carolina novice. Introduced to rowing only after her arrival on campus, Julie has wasted no time in throwing herself into the sport. She has already gained a reputation as a brutal competitor, and has also managed to amass quite a collection of rowing memorabilia. She has thrown herself into every aspect of training and preparing for competition, and above all, has brought a refreshing joy to all of her efforts. If the future of our program is in the hands of such women, then the things look bright for the Heels!

Outstanding Varsity Performer in Strength and Conditioning: Jeanette Crets
This award, selected by Greg Gatz and Jodi Hopkins, recognizes Jeanette's hard work in the weight room. A graduating senior, Jeanette has used her four years of training well. She is quickly recognized by everyone on the team as the strongest athlete in our program, thanks both to her natural gifts and to her incredible work ethic. She applies her strength directly to her ergometer scores and boat moving ability; in both respects she has shown her greatest speed in this, her final year of competition. We will certainly miss her fierce determination and speed on and off the water.

Most Improved Athlete: Staci Shaut
After last spring spent mostly in a reserve role, and a fall semester abroad, Staci had her work cut out for her in rejoining the team this January, facing stiff competition from her experienced and rising novice teammates. She quickly took the pulse of the team, rallied her fellow seniors and jumped right in. In a few short weeks she improved so much as to be in contention for our first eight, and was performing better than at any time in her career at Carolina. Hers was a fine example for everyone on the team, which will help maintain her influence for a long time to come.

Carolina Spirit Award: Kelley Gates
No woman on our spirit-filled team comes closer to representing everything Carolina than Kelley Gates. In every experience with rowing, whether up or down, easy or hard, Kelley has poured her heart and soul into her effort. She has brought smiles, tears, and love to every practice, trip, and race. Her comedy routines, singing, and home-made movies provided more than just laughter or entertainment, they brought the team together in a magical way. On the water, Kelley used this same spirit to unify her boat, to rain down brutal competition, and to in the end make us faster than we thought we could be. We will struggle to find someone to bring so much to the Carolina Rowing experience.

Most Valuable Athlete: Layne Carey
In her short three-year rowing career, Layne earned three Carolina varsity letters, rowed at a National Team camp, and turned herself into our fastest athlete. On the ergometer and on the water, in the weight room and on the track, Layne was the first to embrace hard work with a smile, the first to put in the extra effort, and the first to encourage others to do the same. In this, her final year at UNC, Layne stepped into new roles to lead our team; not always immediately comfortable in those roles, she nonetheless poured her heart into improving the experience, work ethic, and speed of her crew. As stroke of the varsity eight, she provided a toughness and will to press through challenge and come out the faster for it. We are fortunate to have had her on our team, and I look forward to her leadership carrying over into the ranks of our young alumnae.

2001-02 Letterwinners: Kim Baxter, Becca Bennett, Layne Carey, Jeanette Crets, Kelley Gates, Ginger Jordan, Kara Kerscher, Staci Shaut, Grace Wallenborn, Allison Wheaton, Lindsey Wilfley, Lauren Yoder

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