May 7, 2008

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - After winning the Big Ten Women's Rowing Championship on May 3, Michigan State earned additional postseason honors by sweeping the individual awards as Anne Cowan  was named Athlete of the Year, Laura Cowal was voted Freshman of the Year and Matt Weise garnered Coach of the Year accolades.

Cowan, a senior from London, Ontario, becomes the first Spartan to be named Athlete of the Year since 2005, the same season Cowan was named Freshman of the Year.  Cowan has been a part of the varsity eight crew for three seasons and helped propel the first varsity eight to a first place finish in this year's conference championships race.  She was also named to this year's All-Big Ten First Team. 

Cowal, a freshman from Thorold, Ontario, is the fourth Spartan to take home Freshman of the Year honors as other MSU newcomers won the award in 2001, 2003 and 2005.  Cowal is a member of Michigan State's varsity eight at stroke and teamed with Cowan in the first place finish in the event at the Big Ten Championships.

Weise collects his second career Big Ten Coach of the Year honor, having earned his first award in 2005.  Weise is in his fourth season at the helm of the MSU program and earned his second Big Ten Championship this year.  In this year's event, the Spartans won three races - the First Varsity Eight and the First and Second Varsity Four races - and had runner-up finishes in two of the three remaining races.  MSU's 150 points tied a Big Ten record set last year by Minnesota. 

In addition, All-Conference teams and Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honorees, which follow below, were announced this past weekend at the Big Ten Championships.

All-Big Ten Teams
FIRST TEAM
Kiri Crane, Indiana
Brittany Keyes, Iowa
Karen Colwell, Michigan
Katie Bitz, Michigan State
Joanna Brown, Michigan State
Anne Cowan, Michigan State
Megan Flannery, Minnesota
Gabriele Albertaviciute, Ohio State
Patricia Goodeman, Ohio State
Denise Kragness, Wisconsin 

SECOND TEAM
Emily Kasavana, Indiana
Kristen Kelly, Iowa
Adrienne Mecham, Michigan
Cate Trumble, Michigan
Kate Burdick, Michigan State
Emily Regan, Michigan State
Jennifer Barnes, Minnesota
Cleovice Reuzetti, Ohio State
Auuiken Ellingsen, Ohio State
Theresa Shields, Wisconsin

Big Ten Sportsmanship Honorees
Emily Kasavana, Indiana, Brittany Keyes, Iowa, Caitlin McAllister, Michigan, Ashley Peach, Michigan State, Mary Ann Weinzierl, Minnesota, Mary Sheehan, Ohio State, Meghan Roh, Wisconsin