FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ALLEN NAMED SECOND-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN IN ROWING

LEWISTON, Maine —Recent Bates College graduate Laura Allen of Yellow Springs, Ohio, has been named to the Collegiate Rowing Coaches' Association (CRCA) Division III All-America second team.

Allen, a co-captain, is the first All-American in the three-year varsity history of Bates rowing. She set a varsity team record by posting a 2,000-meter erg time of 7:23.7 during training. She rowed in six seat of Bates' nationally-ranked women's varsity eights boat. The Bobcats were 13th in the nation by the CRCA at the end of the 2001-02 season, marking their first-ever national ranking. At their final regatta of the season, Bates posted a better time than five boats ranked ahead of them at the May 4 New England Rowing Championship (NERC) regatta . The Bobcats missed the Grand Final of the NERC regatta by just 0.37 seconds.

"Laura was a true team leader this year," head coach Andrew Carter said. "Her infectious drive to succeed was largely responsible for the squad's off-season work ethic, which translated into success on the water."

In addition to the success of the Bates varsity women's eights, the women's novice eights also had an outstanding year. The Bobcats completed the season with only one loss. The group of first-year rowers won a regional championship at the NERC and were crowned national champions at the Avaya Collegiate Championships in Mercer County, N.J., May 11-12.

Allen is a 1998 graduate of Yellow Springs High School. She is the daughter of William and Roberta Allen, Yellow Springs, Ohio.

For more information on rowing at Bates, please visit our Web page at http://abacus.bates.edu/sports/rowing.html.