May 23, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - Three members of the UCF women's rowing team received honors when the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association announced its all-region selections on Wednesday. Both senior Krystina Sarff (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale HS) and junior Caitlin Pauls (St. Catharines, Ontario/Sir Winston Churchill Secondary) earned South Region first-team recognition, while senior Stephanie Pauls (St. Catharines, Ontario/Sir Winston Churchill Secondary) was a second-team selection.
"I am proud of all that the team has accomplished this season," said UCF head coach Leeanne Crain. "These young women have trained and competed well all year. I am happy to see Krystina, Caitlin and Stephanie received some much deserved recognition for all that hard work."
All three rowers have been instrumental in the success of the UCF varsity eight boat. The Knights won nine consecutive races to start the season and were ranked as high as ninth in the USRowing/CRCA NCAA Division I Varsity Eight poll. They also earned the program's first ever bid to the NCAA Championships.
This is the second time that Sarff has been tabbed for first-team honors as she earned similar accolades in 2006. She was also named to the CRCA All-America second team last season, becoming the first Knight to claim the award. Sarff has been invited to participate in the USRowing National Team Selection Camp at Princeton, where she will compete for a spot in the U.S. women's four that will race at the 2007 FISA World Championships.
Caitlin Pauls, meanwhile, was a second-team All-South Region honoree in 2006. She has been a member of the varsity eight since her arrival at UCF in 2004. She was also named 2006 Row Ontario's Athlete of the Year.
Stephanie Pauls joined the Knights in the fall of 2007 after rowing at Eastern Michigan for three seasons. It is her first CRCA all-region honors.
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