HOPKINS AND McMULLEN EACH RECEIVE ROWING HONORS

6/3/2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento State senior Michelle McMullen and junior Holly Hopkins were each recipients of the National Scholar-Athlete Award for the second consecutive year, it was announced by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA).

The award recognizes rowing student-athletes with a 3.5 or higher cumulative grade point average, are at least a sophomore athletically, and have competed in 75 percent of the team's spring races. McMullen and Hopkins become the seventh and eighth Hornet rowing student-athletes to receive the award multiple times. Both rowers also helped the Hornets to the team's third Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) team championship in the last four years.

In her third season with the Hornets after transferring from Gonzaga, McMullen competed with both the varsity eight and second varsity eight boats for the Hornets this season. Despite battling an injury throughout the season, the Clearlake Oaks, Calif., native appeared with the team's top boat in three races (three seat), and with the team's second varsity eight in both the three and five seats. That included sitting at three with the varsity eight when the Hornets defeated Texas for the first time since 2000, and knocked off Central Florida for the first time in school history.

Hopkins has rowed with the varsity eight in every spring race of her three-year career and has never missed a competition. This year, she sat at stroke in every spring race with the team's top boat, helping lead the crew to a 10-4 dual-meet record, a silver medal at the WIRA Championships, and a victory over Causeway rival UC Davis. During her three-year career, she has sat in the two, four, six and stroke seats with the varsity eight, and is the only member of the team to compete with the Hornets' top boat in every race spanning the last three years.