WORCESTER, Mass. – The National Invitational Rowing Championships (NIRC) has announced the recipients of the regatta's postseason awards and 11 Mount Holyoke College student-athletes were recognized. Junior Ariya Lawson was tabbed to the NIRC All-Stewards Team, while 10 others were named to the All-Academic squad.
Lawson (Washington, D.C./St. Paul's School) served in the stroke position for the Lyons' varsity eight boat this season. As the stroke, it is her responsibility to establish the crew's rate (number of strokes per minute) and rhythm during a race. Lawson helped Mount Holyoke to several strong performances, including a first-place finish in a race where they finished 20 seconds faster than the second place finisher. She was also named to the NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team after helping the Lyons to fourth overall.
Additionally, over 300 student-athletes earned All-Academic honors, including 10 MHC athletes. Seniors Briana Chace (Richmond, R.I./The Greene School), Mira Kelly-Fair (San Francisco, Calif./Lowell) and Leela Woody (Exeter, N.H./Phillips Exeter Academy), along with classmates and captains Azulina Green (Austin, Texas/Gurza High School) and Meghan Ryan (West Point, N.Y./James I. O'Neill) were tabbed.
Junior Nicole Villacres (Fayetteville, Ark./Fayettville) and sophomores Sharlow Hitchcock (Methuen, Mass./Methuen), Sriya Pradhan (New Delhi, India/Mayo College Girl's School), Zoe Zelkowitz (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale), and Clare Zicari (York, Maine/York) were also recognized.
For a student-athlete to be recognized to the NIRC All-Academic Team they must have completed one full-year at their institution (freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible), maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.35 and be recognized as a varsity letter winner.
Mount Holyoke had a solid effort in the 2016-17 campaign, including fourth at the NEWMAC Championship Regatta and the Seven Sisters Championship. The Lyons also saw the varsity eight boat post 11th overall at the New England Rowing Championship and 15th at the National Invitational Rowing Championship to conclude the season.
