Coming off a strong season last year San Diego State women’s crewwill turn to a young team to fuel the flame in the upcoming months.
It was during championships last year that head coach ScottSteckel said the girls were at their prime. It was at this time thatthe Aztecs became one of top 25 nationally ranked Division I teams.
The Aztecs will be competing in their first race March 9 in theParker Cup Regatta against Loyola Marymount University and Universityof California at Irvine. With the team plagued by illness andinjuries, younger members will have to clear the hurdle of startingoff the season successfully.
“The team is focusing on coming together and having the largenumber of freshman and sophomores step up to the challenge,” headcoach Scott Steckel said.
Strong leadership from the co-captains, seniors Leila Curtis,Lauren McGirr and sophomore Bekah Beltz will guide the team in theupcoming season.
The captains this year will have to go above and beyond what theyhave done in the past in order to motivate the team.
“I feel really good,” Beltz said about the upcoming season. “Thisis a really good group of girls.”
Steckel said that Curtis is a key leader of the team and was votedhardest worker by her teammates.
Other seniors joining Curtis include McGirr, Tatiana Nemeth, awalk-on from Brazil in her second season, and Stacey Nichols, who wasgranted an extra year after taking a medical red shirt last season.
“The varsity team is supported by a solid group of 30 noviceathletes who will step into varsity roles next season,” Steckel said.
Some strength on the varsity team will come from freshmen AshleyPaiko and Emily Prindle. Paiko comes to San Diego State from NorthernCalifornia, and Steckel says that she has a great attitude and greatthings can be expected from her in the future. Prindle is from SanDiego and was recently chosen to participate in the Olympic torchrelay, rowing the flame across San Diego Bay.
Sophomore coxswain Alicia Chudy will be the motivator for thevarsity eight boat.
A key member of the Junior Varsity is walk-on freshman BrittanyMcMahon, who took second place at the San Diego Port Indoor Classicthis year.
“(She) is expected to be a major player for Aztec women’s crew,”assistant coach Kevin Waldick said.
Directing the junior varsity boat is freshman coxswain AlisonAbrams, who made the transition from a high school rower to coxswainthis year.
