Bryans Named Central Region Rowing Coach of the Year
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
June 14, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) announced its first annual All-Region and All-America awards and named its Coaches of the Year on June 10.
Michigan State women's crew head coach Bebe Bryans was named the Central Region Coach of the Year. Bryans, who recently completed her second year guiding the Spartans, is now a finalist for the Division I National Coach of the Year Award. Other finalists include Univeristy of California, Berkeley's Dave O'Neill (West Region), Princeton's Lori Dauphiny (Mid-Atlantic Region) and Boston's Holly Hatton (New England Region).
"I was surprised and thrilled," said Bryans. "The coaches in the Central Region are among the best in the nation and to be honored by your peers is always a great thrill. This is just a fabulous cap to a great season."
This past season Bryans led Michigan State to a team bid in the NCAA Championships, where the Spartans placed eighth overall. MSU became only the second school to receive a team bid in its second year of varsity competition.
The Regional Coach of the Year award is intended to recognize a coach who has experienced outstanding success during the season, demonstrated great team improvement from the prior season, fulfilled her team's potential and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and integrity as a coach.
Also honored by CRCA were senior Elizabeth Schafer (Troy, Mich.) and junior Angela Rienas (Romeo, Mich.). Schafer was named to the Central Region first team, while Rienas was selected to the second team. Both Schafer and Rienas were members of the varsity eight crew which ranked among the top 10 in the nation all year and placed 10th at the NCAA Championships.
"I was very honored just to be nominated," said Schafer. "To then be selected by the coaches is a great honor. I am very pleased that Michigan State crew is able to be recognized through me."
The criteria for All-Region honors includes meeting eligibility rules as defined by the institution, participating in at least 75% of the season's races in the varsity boat, as well as having a coach who is a member in good standing of the CRCA. For each region, eight rowers and a coxswain received first-team honors with the same number receiving second-team honors.
Spartan senior Megan Jewett (Portage, Mich.) has also been recognized for her academic and athletic accomplishments. Jewett, who was a 1998 USRowing Academic All-American, was recently named to the Central Region Academic All-America Team. By being selected to the regional team, Jewett is now a finalist for the national team.