Five rowers and one coxswain ]sign National Letters of Intent
Nov. 20, 2012
Signee
Hometown
Rowing
Club
Nicasia D'Allesandro
Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
Egg Harbor Township High School
Hannah Kloppenburg
Ladue, Mo.
St. Louis Rowing Club
Megan Linton
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg Rowing Club
Dale Main
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Sarasota Crew
Angela Thompson-Butler
Oklahoma City, Okla.
OKC Riversport
Victoria Wallace
San Mateo, Calif.
Stanford Rowing Center
Class
of 2012 Rowing Signings
Nicasia D'Allesandro
Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
Egg Harbor Township High School Parents: Bruce and Nitty D'Allesandro
Coaches: Dan Welsh, John Pope and John McElhenny
4th
place in the lightweight 4+ at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta 1st
place in the lightweight 4+ at the Garden State Championships 1st
place in the 4+ at the Philadelphia City Championships 1st
place in the lightweight 4+ and JV 4+ at the Atlantic
City County Championships
Hannah Kloppenburg
Ladue, Mo.
St. Louis Rowing Club Parents: Ray and Ann Kloppenburg
Coach: Tim Franck
2nd
place in the 8+ at the Midwest Junior Rowing Championship 3rd
place in the 4+ at the Head of the Hooch 1st
place in the 8+ at the St. Louis Sprints 1st
place in the 8+ at the Cincinnati Invitational
Megan Linton
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg Rowing Club Parents: Mike and Mona Linton
Coach: Brent Figg
3rd
place in the single at the 2011 Head of the Oklahoma 6th
place in the single at the 2012 Head of the Oklahoma Top
three finishes in the 1500 freestyle at the Manitoba/Saskatoon
Championships
Dale Main
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Sarasota Crew Parents: Brad and Angie Main
Coaches: Marty Beyer and Kirby Gallie
1st
place in the 1x, 4x and 8+ at the Head of the South 1st
place in the 4+ and 8+ at the Head of the Potomac 1st
place in the 8+ at the Southeast Youth Championships 1st
place in the 8+ and 4x at the Florida State Rowing Association
(FSRA) Championship
Angela Thompson-Butler
Oklahoma City
OKC Riversport Parent: Mary Jo Thompson-Butler
Coaches: Brian Ebke and Karin Brevick
2nd
place in the 4x and 8+; and 3rd place in the 4+ at the
Head of the Hooch 4th
place in the 8+ at the Head of the Charles 1st
place in the 4+ and 8+, 2nd place in the 4x and 4th place
in the 2x at the Head of the Oklahoma 1st
place in the 4x and 2nd place in the 8+ at the Central
District Championships
Victoria Wallace
San Mateo, Calif.
Stanford Rowing Center Parents: Ernest and Belinda Wallace
Coaches: Monica Hilcu
1st
place in the 2x and 4x at the Head of the American 1st
place in the 2x and 4x at the Head of the Oklahoma and
1st place in the 4x Night Sprints 1st
place in the 2x and 4x at the Head of the Lagoon 1st
place in the novice 4x at the Southwest Junior Regionals
NORMAN, Okla. - The Oklahoma women's rowing team and head
coach Leeanne Crain are proud to announce the signing of five rowers and
a coxswain to National Letters of Intent Tuesday. Nicasia D'Allesandro,
Hannah Kloppenburg, Megan Linton, Dale Main, Angela Thompson-Butler and
Victoria Wallace will join the Sooners for the 2013-14 season.
"We are extremely excited to welcome our incoming 2013 freshman class,"
said Crain. "This is an incredibly strong group of young women and
each of them have demonstrated tremendous success on the water and in the
classroom. Their work ethic and focus was apparent throughout the recruiting
process and we are thrilled that they'll be joining us next fall."
Nicasia D'Allesandro
D'Allesandro is a coxswain from Egg Harbor Township, N.J., and rows at Egg
Harbor Township High School. Her rowing accolades include first-place finishes
at the Philadelphia City Championships Regatta and the Garden State Scholastic
Rowing Championships last season, and a third-place finish at the Scholastic
Rowing Association National Championships in 2011. D'Allesandro was accepted
into the National Honor Society as a junior and has been a Varsity Scholar
the past three years at Egg Harbor High School.
"Nic is a strong coxswain who impressed me starting her freshman year in
Egg Harbor's freshman crew," OU assistant coach John Gartin said. "She has
good boat command and a highly competitive attitude in the boat. I have
seen her recover her boat's speed, rhythm and racing spirit even after a
devastating crab which could have easily resulted in her crew being a distant
sixth. The Oklahoma crews are going benefit from that 'fire to race' with
Nic in the coxswain seat."
Why I Chose the University of Oklahoma: "I chose the University
of Oklahoma because of the dedication that the crew team and coaches possess,"
said D'Allesandro. "I instantly fell in love with the campus, especially
the atmosphere at the football games. I knew I could not pass up the opportunity
to receive a great education while also being a student-athlete. The amount
of positive energy, school spirit and determination to win that I experienced
while being on campus made it a perfect fit for me. The moment I got back
home to New Jersey I could not stop talking about it."
Hannah Kloppenburg
A native of Ladue, Mo., Kloppenburg is in her fourth year as a member of
St. Louis Rowing Club. She helped the varsity eight to a second-place finish
at the 2012 Midwest Junior Rowing Championship, advancing to the 2012 USRowing
Youth National Championships. Additionally, she placed third out of 82 crews
in the varsity four at the Head of the Hooch in 2011 and won the varsity
eight races at the St. Louis Sprints and Cincinnati Invitational in 2012.
Kloppenburg is a member of the National Honor Society and an honor roll
student at Ladue Horton Watkins High School.
"From the moment Hannah came to campus she was a great fit for the Oklahoma
Rowing program," said Gartin. "A rower who is already showing good speed
and technique, she has tremendous room for development and the work ethic
to get there. Furthermore, she clearly understands that rowing is about
the crew and not just the individual. She is going to be a great teammate
and boat mover at Oklahoma."
Why I Chose the University of Oklahoma: "From my first visit,
it was easy to imagine being a student-athlete at OU because I immediately
felt comfortable there," Kloppenburg said. "The coaches were so nice and
it became obvious to me that I wanted to row for their team more than any
other. I am so excited to sign and officially become a Sooner."
Megan Linton
Linton comes to Norman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where she has rowed
for the Winnipeg Rowing Club since 2010. Named the Junior Athlete of the
Year in 2011 by the club, she has represented her province, Team Manitoba,
and has posted top-five finishes at the Head of the Oklahoma in both 2011
and 2012. An honor roll student since seventh grade, Linton attends Saint
Mary's Academy and is also an accomplished swimmer as a member of the Manitoba
Provincial team.
"Megan is a solid athlete who started rowing only two years ago, but has
already made the Manitoba Provincial team in both rowing and swimming,"
said Gartin. "She is accomplished in small boats, including top finishes
in the single here at the Head of the Oklahoma. Megan made a great impression
on the staff and team when she visited, reinforcing our desire to work with
her. A 4.0 student, we are excited to get her into the Oklahoma fours and
eights."
Why I Chose the University of Oklahoma: "I chose the University
of Oklahoma because of the passionate atmosphere that envelops the entire
town of Norman, and especially the University itself," Linton said. "The
University has very strong academic programs that fill all my academic aspirations.
The girls on the rowing team are extremely competitive, but when all is
said and done they are still extremely close friends, which is incredible."
Dale Main
A native of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Main moved to Sarasota, Fla., in 2004 and
has been rowing since eighth grade. She currently is a team captain for
Sarasota Crew and is a four-time Florida State Champion in the pair, double,
quad, four and eight. Main also is a three-time Southeast Regional Champion
in the pair, eight and double and has competed at the National Scholastic
Rowing Championships the past three seasons. Main has been on the Student
Advisory Council for three years at Riverview High School.
"Dale is the quiet athlete that leads by example who certainly earned her
captaincy through effort and hard work," said Gartin. "She is always clearly
engaged and passionate about being better every day at practice, a sure
sign she is going be solid in a race. Dale's success in small and big boats
at a highly respected and highly competitive rowing club shows how hard
she has worked over the past several years. An athlete who loves to practice,
she is a great fit for Oklahoma Rowing."
Why I Chose the University of Oklahoma: "I Chose the University
of Oklahoma as my home for the next four years not only because it will
be a quality education and great athletics program to further my rowing
career, but I believe it will be the best place for me to thrive as a young
adult," Main said.
Angela Thompson-Butler
From Oklahoma City, Thompson-Butler has become very familiar with the Sooners'
home course, having rowed for Oklahoma City Riversport on the Oklahoma River.
Her fall racing was highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the Head of
the Charles in the eight and a second-place finish in eight and the quad
at the Head of the Hooch. She also helped win her race in the four and the
eight, finished second in the quad and fourth in the double at the Head
of the Oklahoma. A National Honor Society honoree and a member of the Principal's
Honor Roll, Thompson-Butler is a senior at Harding Charter Preparatory High
School.
"Angela, a strong student-athlete, is representative of the high quality
rower being developed at the Oklahoma Riversport junior program," said Gartin.
"She stood out as a junior last year when I first visited the OKC junior's
practice and she has the work ethic to continue to get stronger and faster.
She is a proven winner, exemplified this fall with a medal in the eight
at the 2012 Head of the Charles and medals in the eight, four and quad from
the 2012 Head of the Hooch. We are excited and proud that she will be staying
in state and joining the University of Oklahoma."
Why I Chose the University of Oklahoma: "I chose the University
of Oklahoma because it is a very prestigious university," Thompson-Butler
said. "On my visit I was very impressed by the support they have for their
student-athletes and their camaraderie within the programs. It also has
a strong foundation in sports and the rowing team is relatively new. I am
looking forward to being able to contribute to the development of the program."
Victoria Wallace
Wallace is from San Mateo, Calif., and rows for the Stanford Juniors. She
won the novice quad event at the Southwest Junior Regionals last spring,
and won the double and quad at the Head of the Oklahoma this fall. She also
helped her boats to first-place finishes in the double and quad at the 2012
Head of the American and 2012 Head of the Lagoon this fall. At Everest High
School, Wallace earned the Responsibility Award and participated in the
Perry Program at UCSF, which inspired her to pursue a career in orthopedic
surgery.
"Victoria is an impact student-athlete who in only a year has developed
into a highly accomplished rower," said Gartin. "This fall she has helped
her double and quad go undefeated in four head races, including the Head
of the Oklahoma and Head of the American. We are looking forward to see
her continued development this spring. We know she is going to bring very
good speed and an exceptional work ethic to the University of Oklahoma next
fall."
Why I Chose the University of Oklahoma: "I love the University
of Oklahoma for the school spirit," Wallace remarked. "Everyone represents
their Sooner pride throughout campus. The energy is fantastic."
4th
place in the lightweight 4+ at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta
