TWO BUCKNELLIANS MAKE U.S. NATIONAL TEAM

PRINCETON, NJ: The summer is always hectic in the high-pressure world of elite rowing. Nations eager to compete on the world stage use the season to select the athletes that will represent their country at the World Championships. The United States is no exception, and this year's selection procedures have been especially eventful for two Bucknell alumni.

The first round of selection trials for the 2002 US Rowing Team took place August 7-12 in Princeton, NJ. Brett Wilkinson '98 partnered with two-time US team member Steve Gillespie to compete in the men's double sculls.

The duo won their opening heat against the Riverside Boat Club entry, and in doing so, turned in the fastest time of the day. Brett and his partner, racing as the Princeton Training Center "C" crew, went on to the finals, where they swept the best-two-out-of-three format, besting the other PTC entries and the favored Penn AC crew for the spot on the US team.

Trials continued one week later for a number of other events, including the men's lightweight quadruple sculls. Nick "Cinderblock" Cindrich '97

occupied the bow seat of the Augusta Training Center entry, which was one of four crews vying for the team bid in that event.

Unlike the trials for the double, the winner of the light quad was to be determined in one, final-only race - or so things were scheduled. During the race, the crew collided with a large marker buoy not present in the other lanes, bringing their shell to a complete stop before they could begin again and complete the race in third place.

A protest was filed and upheld, requiring a re-row between the winner of the race and the Augusta TC crew. The second time through, all lanes were clear, allowing Nick and crew to claim their place on the US team with a comfortable, open water win.

Brett and Nick will now represent the United States at the World Rowing Championships in Seville, Spain, September 15-22.

They are the first male Bucknell alumni to make the US Rowing Team. Cynthia Ryder Matthes '88 was a member of the squad from '91-93, and Sara DenBesten '96 represented the US from '97-'00.