By Chris Majors

Beth Daunhauer, a University of Louisville sophomore rower, has accomplished a personal goal and achieved a national honor:  she has been selected as a member of the 2005 U.S. Indoor Rowing Team.

“It was a lot of mental preparation,” the Louisville native said after qualifying for a position on the national team at the Cincinnati Indoor Rowing Championships on Jan. 30. Daunhauer finished first with a time of 7:23.90 in the women’s 2,000-meter lightweight division, which earned her a chance to compete in the C.R.A.S.H.-B Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships on Feb. 13. The competition was held at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston, Mass.

Daunhauer definitely had her work cut out for her in the C.R.A.S.H.-B Sprints, but she managed to shine by placing 12th among 83 of the world’s best rowing competitors with a time of 7:29.40.

“It was an awesome experience to be surrounded by such great women. I mean, I was only three ergs away from Lisa [Schlenker], an Olympic rower,” Daunhauer marveled. Schlenker holds the world indoor rowing lightweight record and was also the first woman to break the 7-minute barrier.

Daunhauer has made great strides since her freshman year as a rower. She had never rowed or even considered the sport before stepping foot onto U of L’s campus last year. Daunhauer was recruited on campus her freshman year by the rowing program’s coaches and crew.

A dual-sport athlete in high school, Daunhauer jumped at the opportunity to continue her athletic career at the collegiate level. Daunhauer was a three-year All-District selection in basketball and a two-year All-District selection and All-Region selection as a senior in softball at Seneca High School, so she couldn’t imagine ending her athletic career when she went to college.

Rowing seemed the perfect fit.

“It’s the perfect sport for me, and it’s the most challenging sport,” Daunhauer said. Recruited as a member of the novice team, she quickly climbed the ranks to the Varsity 8+ boat her freshman year, which placed second in the Collegiate 8+ at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta last fall.

“She is an unbelievable kid who is certainly one of the best lightweights in the country,” U of L rowing head coach Richard Ruggieri said.

In addition to her rowing accomplishments, Daunhauer has excelled academically, earning a 4.0 GPA last semester. She is studying Health and Human Performance with an emphasis in Exercise Science and plans to earn her master’s degree in Physiology. She said she hopes to work in the wide world of sports as a coach or athletic trainer.

When asked how she managed to become one of the best lightweight rowers in the nation and earn high grades at the same time she said, “I try to study during every break I get, even if it’s only 30 minutes.”

And between her grueling twice-a-day practices during the week and studying, Daunhauer somehow manages to squeeze in some sleep and her entertain love for basketball by keeping up with the U of L men’s and women’s teams.

After achieving big goals during the fall and winter rowing seasons, Daunhauer says she and the team are ultimately working for a chance to compete in the NCAA Championships. Ruggieri said he believes U of L’s rowing team is a top-25 caliber program and is consistently striving to make the cut.

The rowing team will resume competition on March 13 against Minnesota. The meet will be held in Oak Ridge, Tenn.