Spillane Named National Coach of the Year; Six Earn Academic honors

WELLESLEY, Mass. – The Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) recently announced the postseason awards for the 2011 season. Highlighting the honorees, Wellesley College's Tessa Spillane was named the 2011 Division III National Coach of the Year. In addition to Spillane's honor, the Blue placed six on the National Scholar-Athlete list.

Spillane earned the national award after guiding the Blue to a record-breaking 2010-11 season. She, along with Assistant Coach Regan Bernhard '01 and Novice Coach Austin Work, led Wellesley to a third place team finish at the 2011 NCAA Rowing Championships. The national finish was the highest in the rowing program's history and tied the highest finish for any Wellesley team (Volleyball - 3rd – 1998.)

Earlier this season, the Blue took home the 2011 NEWMAC Championship, while also winning a Seven Sisters championship in the fall. At the New England and ECAC Championships, the Blue placed 3rd overall, marking the best finishes in program history.

Spillane, in her sixth year at the helm of the Wellesley program, currently serves on on the NCAA DIII Rowing Committee, representing the New England Region. Previously, she served on the Board of Directors for USRowing, the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. Spillane is also a two-time NEWMAC Coach of the Year.

Leading the National Scholar-Athlete selections for the Blue were repeat honorees Hannah Woodruff and Shernaz Dossabhoy. Woodruff, a recently graduated History major, is a two-time CRCA academic honoree. This season, she was also named a CRCA second-team All-American, as well as an All-Seven Sisters selection. Dossabhoy, a junior majoring in German Language and Literature, also earned the national honor last season. A team captain, she was named to the NEWMAC All-Conference team earlier this year.

Joining Woodruff and Dossaboy as National Scholar-Athletes, were sophomores Caroline Dodge, Kathryn Goffin, Jennifer Lamy and Tess Ruderman. All four make their first appearance on the national list. Dodge is a Biological Studies major and was named an All-NEWMAC selection this season. Goffin, also a member of the diving team, is a a Psychology major. Lamy, an Economics and Environmental Studies major, was a first-team All-America selection as well as an All-ECAC and All-Seven Sisters honoree. Ruderman, a Mathematics major, rounded out the academic awards.

The CRCA Coach of the Year Award is voted on by the membership of the CRCA and is intended to recognize head coaches whose teams have had outstanding success throughout the current season and who have demonstrated a high level of professionalism and integrity as a coach. National Scholar-Athletes are recognized in their second through fourth years of eligibility for maintaining a 3.5 GPA or higher during their career.