Kansas Rowing Gains Five Commitments During Spring Signing
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Head coach Rob Catloth announced the addition of five rowers to the 2014-15 Kansas rowing roster, highlighted by a McDonald’s All-America nominee, a Sub-State Champion volleyball player and a fourth-year rower.
The 2014-15 spring signing class consists of three Kansans, an Iowan and a New Zealand-native. These commitments will be counted on to ensure the Jayhawks continue to compete with the best in the Big 12 and Conference USA. The spring signees consist of: Angie Allen (Waterloo, Iowa), Megan Boppart (Olathe, Kan.), Ally Fullerton (Hamilton, New Zealand), Margaret Hornick (Lansing, Kan.) and Sydney Staehr (Wichita, Kan.).
“We are excited about this class because we feel we have a strong group of women coming in,” Catloth said. “There are a lot of good athletes we are bringing in. These young women have been athletes in other sports and some have previous rowing experience.”
Angie Allen | 5-9 | Waterloo, Iowa | Nixa HS
A multi-sport athlete at Nixa High School, Angie Allen will test the waters with rowing at the University of Kansas. As a member of the basketball team, Allen helped secure two-consecutive Central Ozarks Conference District Championships (2013-14). She was second team all-conference in those two seasons, and was nominated for the McDonald’s All-America game in 2014. Allen also enjoyed a decorated career as a volleyball player as she owns the school record for most aces in a single season.
Daughter of former Kansas football head coach Terry Allen (1997-2001), Angie is great in the classroom, as well. She was named to the Academic All-State team in 2014. The National Honor Society member plans to major in physical therapy at Kansas.
Megan Boppart | 5-8 | Olathe, Kan. | Olathe Northwest HS
Megan Boppart will become a Jayhawk after completing her swimming career at Olathe Northwest. She will be the fifth member of her family to attend the University of Kansas.
Boppart is undecided on her major.
Ally Fullerton | 5-8 | Hamilton, New Zealand | Air Academy HS (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Ally Fullerton comes to Kansas with extensive rowing experience. She is a dual-citizen of both New Zealand and the United States. As a member of the rowing team at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls in New Zealand, Fullerton won three-consecutive Gold New Zealand School Championships as a member of the Varsity Four and Varsity Eight. She moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., to live with her aunt and uncle and to attend an American school.
Fullerton expects to major in communications or journalism and has hopes of becoming a sports broadcaster.
Margaret Hornick | 5-11 | Lansing, Kan. | Lansing HS
Margaret Hornick will be a solid addition to the Kansas rowing team as she is coming off the heels of two-year track career at Johnson County Community College. She received the Women’s Track and Field Academic Award and earned the Women’s Academic Athlete of the Year Award in 2014. In high school, Hornick enjoyed a four-year cross country career, as well as two years of both basketball and softball. As the co-captain for the cross country team, Hornick helped guide Lansing High School to three Kaw Valley League Championships (2008, 2010-11) and two regional championships (2009-10). In 2011, she finished third overall in the 5A Women’s State Championship.
Hornick’s academic career is highly-decorated as she was a frequent member of the school honor roll, was a four-year All-American Scholar, a Kansas Honors Scholar and graduated eighth overall out of 196 total students. She received an academic scholarship and plans to double-major in biochemistry and neurobiology with hopes of becoming an anesthesiologist or surgeon.
Sydney Staehr | 5-8 | Wichita, Kan. | Andover HS
As a four-year member of the Andover High School volleyball team, Sydney Staehr looks to bring her competitive edge to the Kansas rowing team. In 2013, she helped her volleyball team to a Sub-State Championship en route to a fourth-place overall finish at the state tournament. Staehr was twice-nominated All-State Honorable Mention (2012-13) and was named Andover Tournament MVP in 2011.
Staehr plans to pursue Business Marketing while at KU.
The five spring commitments bring the total number of rowing signees to 10 for the upcoming 2014-15 season. The fall signees include: Katie Bauguess (Valley Center, Kan.), BriAnna Dittberner (Topeka, Kan.), Caitlin McNulty (Mission Hills, Kan.), Daisy Tackett (Dallas, Texas) and Kaelyn Thierolf (Marion, Kan.).
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