PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots Rowing had 12 student-athletes earn 2023 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Rowing Association (CRCA) Scholar Athlete honors this week: Natalie Baier; Veronica Conklin; Colleen Cushing; Alysa Gribben; Dawon Lee; Maddie Olson: Lauren Poehlmann; Sarah Redmond; Addison Thomas; Lexa Wendl; and Olivia Zilavy Pailthorp.
 
To qualify, an athlete must be at least in their second year of eligibility while maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Student-athletes also must have rowed in their institution's NCAA or IRA eligible boats for at least 75% of the spring races or race in a boat at their conference championship/NCAA Championship.
 
Over 1,000 student-athletes earned honors this season, with 103 student-athletes earning a perfect 4.0. 55% of award winners had an average GPA of 3.75 or higher as well. The Pilots posted thier highest spring GPA ever at 3.55 and earlier this year had Cushing, Olson and Zilavy Pailthorp make the WCC All-Academic Team.
 
The Pilots are coming off a stellar spring season. Across their three boats, they earned four wins on the year while the first varsity eight made the podium for the first time in program history at the 2023 WCC Championship. Olson and Cushing were both named to the WCC All-Conference team.