Laura Feinson (third from left) and the IU Varsity 8 crew set a course record at the Dale England Cup and earned a bronze medal at the Big Ten Championships.
Feinson Named Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year
5/18/2022 11:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana rowing's Laura Feinson was named the 2022 Big Ten Rowing Athlete of the Year as announced by the conference office on Wednesday (May 18).
Feinson, a senior from Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand, and the No. 6 seat for IU's Varsity 8 crew, is the second Indiana rower to earn this award and the first outright Hoosier winner after Rebecca Brougher was named co-athlete of the year in 2016.
"I could not think of a more deserving athlete to receive this award than Laura," IU head rowing coach Steve Peterson said. "Laura has overcome several obstacles over the past couple of years that would make any athlete question whether they wanted to continue the sport, but Laura made the decision to 'change her luck' this year. She came back to school in great shape and with a positive attitude that made her an unquestionable leader of this team.
"Laura has been a role model for what hard work, commitment and dedication can do for an athlete. I am so proud of what Laura has accomplished this year, and I am excited to see what she will accomplish in the future."
Feinson is the second New Zealand native to win the award after Ohio State's Catherine Shields became the first to do so in 2014 before repeating as co-athlete of the year with Brougher in 2016. She was one of five Kiwis featured in the Varsity 8 lineup this season.
For her efforts, Feinson also received the Most Valuable Rower Award within the IU program. Additionally, Feinson was the rowing program's recipient of the Indiana University athletic department's Hoosier Award, which recognizes a student-athlete for bringing honor and distinction to Indiana University in their representative sport during the academic year.
In April, Feinson and the Varsity 8 set a course record at Lake Lemon on their way to a fifth straight Dale England Cup title. The 1V8 finished in 6:27.6, part of five Indiana wins in six contests that day. On April 12, the crew was named Big Ten Boat of the Week after winning two races at the OSU Invitational.
The IU rowing team concluded the 2022 season with a fourth-place performance Sunday (May 15) at the Big Ten Rowing Championships. Feinson was a first team All-Big Ten selection after helping her Varsity 8 boat to a bronze medal. In a photo finish, the top Hoosier boat held off Rutgers by 25 hundredths of a second to cross the finish line in 6:20.752.
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Feinson, a senior from Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand, and the No. 6 seat for IU's Varsity 8 crew, is the second Indiana rower to earn this award and the first outright Hoosier winner after Rebecca Brougher was named co-athlete of the year in 2016.
"I could not think of a more deserving athlete to receive this award than Laura," IU head rowing coach Steve Peterson said. "Laura has overcome several obstacles over the past couple of years that would make any athlete question whether they wanted to continue the sport, but Laura made the decision to 'change her luck' this year. She came back to school in great shape and with a positive attitude that made her an unquestionable leader of this team.
"Laura has been a role model for what hard work, commitment and dedication can do for an athlete. I am so proud of what Laura has accomplished this year, and I am excited to see what she will accomplish in the future."
Feinson is the second New Zealand native to win the award after Ohio State's Catherine Shields became the first to do so in 2014 before repeating as co-athlete of the year with Brougher in 2016. She was one of five Kiwis featured in the Varsity 8 lineup this season.
For her efforts, Feinson also received the Most Valuable Rower Award within the IU program. Additionally, Feinson was the rowing program's recipient of the Indiana University athletic department's Hoosier Award, which recognizes a student-athlete for bringing honor and distinction to Indiana University in their representative sport during the academic year.
In April, Feinson and the Varsity 8 set a course record at Lake Lemon on their way to a fifth straight Dale England Cup title. The 1V8 finished in 6:27.6, part of five Indiana wins in six contests that day. On April 12, the crew was named Big Ten Boat of the Week after winning two races at the OSU Invitational.
The IU rowing team concluded the 2022 season with a fourth-place performance Sunday (May 15) at the Big Ten Rowing Championships. Feinson was a first team All-Big Ten selection after helping her Varsity 8 boat to a bronze medal. In a photo finish, the top Hoosier boat held off Rutgers by 25 hundredths of a second to cross the finish line in 6:20.752.
@IndianaRowing
Follow Indiana Rowing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
#GoIU